The first vaccine, the smallpox vaccine, was administered from the shoulder in the late 1700s. Has this become a habit, or is there really any point in doing it over the shoulder? Of course there is a logical reason. The vaccine can be administered intramuscularly or subcutaneously. The deltoid muscle, located between the shoulder and arm, is a very suitable muscle to inject.
It is also a matter of curiosity that the needle should be placed on the left shoulder rather than the right shoulder. Under normal circumstances, if you are a right-handed person, it is recommended to do it from the left shoulder. A right-handed person may have difficulty in a possible shoulder pain. Claims that “because it is closer to the heart” and “the left shoulder is stronger” are unfounded.
So why is the vaccine administered from the shoulder and not from the hip?
Since the thickness of the adipose tissue in the hip region is much greater than that in the shoulder, it is likely to make the vaccine into the adipose tissue, which causes insufficient immunity to be provided because the number of cells that activate the immune system is less than the adipose tissue. Due to the greater storage of the vaccine in that area, the effectiveness of the vaccine becomes less.
In children under the age of 3, the vaccine can be made from the leg because the shoulder muscle called deltoid is smaller and thinner.
More than half of vaccine-related problems are related to the technique of giving the vaccine, not the vaccine itself.
There are some points to be considered while vaccinating. A needle is inserted up to a certain extent, perpendicular to the skin, two to three fingers below the top of our shoulder, and the vaccine is injected. If the needle goes too deep, it may sink into the bone, which increases the severity of the pain. If it is injected too close to the surface, the vaccine is given under the skin, which reduces the effectiveness of the vaccine.
Therefore, it should be ensured that the needle is placed intramuscularly. The pain that occurs usually goes away within 48. Its severity can be reduced with ice therapy and medication.
If you have surgery on your shoulder or if you have any pain there, is it okay to get vaccinated?
It was evaluated in 25,000 patients who received the flu vaccine between 2009 and 2018 in one study. In these patients, it was examined whether the shoulder pain caused by the vaccination technique or if there was a previous shoulder problem, whether the existing shoulder problems increased after this vaccination, and as a result, it was determined that the vaccination did not increase the shoulder problems. If you want, you can choose to get the vaccine from the other shoulder, if you have problems in both shoulders, this does not prevent you from being vaccinated. In fact, if you have a six pack, you can get the vaccine from your stomach.
In order to prevent the occurrence of pain, the health worker who administers the vaccine will vaccinate the sitting patient sitting and vaccinating the standing patient standing up, which will minimize the risks. Because it will prevent a possible needle bevel.
In addition, it is recommended to open your shoulders by peeling off your clothes from the bottom up. When you scrape it from top to bottom, the open part may stay too high, which can increase the risk. We can say that with the right technique, the right tip, the vaccines made from the right area do not cause shoulder pain problems.
Sources: Assoc. Dr. Gazi Huri
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