| Sohu Health
Author | Jiang Li
Editor | Yuan Yue
As the temperature begins to drop, vaccination against flu and has been put on the agenda by many people. Some people report headaches, coughs and other uncomfortable symptoms after the flu vaccine. Are these symptoms serious? How long will it last? On October 8, the American Journal of Prevention pointed out that most of the side effects just mean that the vaccine is working, and introduced 9 potential side effects of the 2020 flu vaccine .
After the flu shot, you may encounter the following problems:
sore arm
After the flu shot, your arm may be sore or uncomfortable, but this is a good thing: it means your immune system is responding to the vaccine The reaction and the production of antibodies usually only last for about a day, and not everyone has this symptom.
Redness, pain or swelling at the injection site
This is another good sign that your immune system is already trying to respond appropriately to the vaccine. In addition, whenever something (such as a needle) breaks the skin barrier, your body will react to the foreign body, causing redness and swelling. This side effect is very common and only lasts a few days.
low-grade fever
after flu vaccine injection, you may have a low-grade fever of less than 38.3 degrees, but this is not very common. If it is higher than 38.3 degrees, you may have been infected with another virus that usually spreads during the flu season. For example, it may be a cold or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection.
Nausea, headache or fatigue
When your body responds to the flu vaccine, these are completely normal reactions.
Dizziness or fainting
Like other vaccines, some people may experience dizziness or fainting after the flu vaccine, but this is more due to the process of poking the needle into the arm than the vaccine itself. Not only the flu vaccine, almost all vaccines have fainted after injection.
Coughing or sneezing
If your child does not have asthma or has a recent history of asthma, you may choose to vaccinate your child with a nasal spray flu vaccine that does not require injections. It will cause some of the same side effects as general flu vaccines, namely, arm Soreness, and there may be some coughing and sneezing, but in most cases, people feel good.
sore throat
The general flu vaccine is unlikely to give you the symptoms of sore throat, but the nasal spray flu vaccine may have such side effects, and it will appear slightly and briefly after the vaccination.
Guillain-Barré syndrome
Some people (those who should not get the flu vaccine) do experience serious side effects after flu vaccine, including Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) This is a neurological disease that attacks the body’s nerve cells and, in severe cases, can cause muscle weakness or paralysis. Before you panic, know that this situation is extremely rare. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) pointed out that in fact, for every million doses of flu vaccine, only one or two of them will develop GBS.
Allergic reaction
Some people may have an allergic reaction to the flu vaccine or its components (such as gelatin, antibiotics or other components). Signs of a severe allergic reaction may include difficulty breathing, wheezing, swelling of the eyes or lips, hives, high fever, and rapid heartbeat. It is extremely rare that
has a life-threatening reaction to the flu vaccine. However, if there are signs of an allergic reaction after the flu vaccine, treat it as a medical emergency and seek help as soon as possible.
The US CDC pointed out that if you are allergic to eggs, you can still get the vaccine, but the whole process should be carried out in a monitored and controlled environment. In this case, you should inform the doctor of your egg allergy so that both parties can make an informed decision about whether you are vaccinated. The reaction of
to flu vaccine varies from person to person. Most people will not have any side effects after getting the flu vaccine, and when uncomfortable symptoms appear,It is usually mild and will disappear within a day or two.
need to emphasize that these minor side effects are nothing compared to the actual harm of flu. According to preliminary estimates by the US CDC, between October 2019 and April 2020 in the last flu season, as many as 62,000 people died from flu complications in the United States. Even if it is not 100% effective, getting the flu vaccine is still the best way to protect yourself from flu. U.S. "Prevention" magazine: dizziness, cough, low-grade fever... 9 kinds of uncomfortable symptoms may appear after influenza vaccination
