COVID-19 Vaccination: Is It Required To Evade Pain Relievers After Getting Pierced?

We all got fed up with the word coronavirus as it resonates almost every time and everywhere. Thanks to the vaccines and other efforts!! The entire population hopes these would wipe out this disastrous microbe from the world. Because we currently have a feeling, there is no longer to reach the prosperous days that we miss a lot. 

COVID-19 Vaccination: Is It Required To Evade Pain Relievers After Getting Pierced?

We all are preparing to get our arms pricked with the required dose/doses of vaccine. But, there is still panic as we heard of its side effects so as the pain it will cause. 

Before you get pricked with your vaccine you have to be aware of the possible difficulties you might experience after it.

Health experts say, whatever be your choice from the three available vaccines- which are developed by Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Johnson & Johnson, all these vaccines have shown similar side effects in clinical trials.

Pain And Other Side Effects Of Covid Vaccines

Nothing is gained without any pain. So being immunized means you may have to undergo the pain. But think about the fruit that you will get back. 

You might have already scheduled an appointment at the vaccination site. Since you are about to get a shot, let’s have a look at the potential side effects that could come after you receive it. 

• Pain and swelling
• Headache
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Muscle and joint pain 
• Fever
• Redness or rash on the injected spot
• Nausea 

You may experience at least one of these side effects. There is nothing to worry about since it is common and these are the signals through which the body tries to convey to you that the immune system is getting prepared for the battle. 

Pain Due To Vaccination

Do you remember the days in which you have ever received a vaccination? Or have observed any child who received one? 

If yes, you must have noticed a kind of pain and discomfort that could last in the arms for days. So, it is common to experience pain after getting your shot against COVID-19 too, and you should be prepared for it.

The pain that comes after piercing your arm could be milder or a little bit more uncomfortable. Other than pain, the vaccine can result in swelling exactly on the right spot you got pricked.

Can I Use A Pain Reliever?

Since there is a greater chance of pain, many of us think it would be a great idea to take a pain-relieving tablet.

However, it is not at all good as you think it is in some cases. Yes, indeed you will be relieved after taking them and those pills won’t do any harm to your body as well. 

But, there is something you need to be taken care of: the time in which you are going to take them.

Also, read What Is Long COVID (PASC)?

When Is It Appropriate To Take A Pain Reliever?

According to the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you can take them when you experience pain.

The agency recommends you to take any over-the-counter (OTC) pain medicine including ibuprofen (like Advil), aspirin, antihistamines, or acetaminophen (like Tylenol), but not without getting required advice from your doctor. So, it is clear that you need not evade it after receiving the shots. 

At the same time, the CDC gives an alert too. While it is preferable to use an OTC pill after you receive the shots, the agency said that it should not be used prior to receiving the shot. 

You might have planned to take an OTC pill a while before you get the injection. This may prevent you from getting hit by the pain. But the CDC declines this idea. It is because these shots may not be able to do their job properly, i.e., boosting your immunity.

In case you prefer to take any of these pills beforehand you turn your sleeves up to get the injection, a question still remains unsolved: whether it could worsen your immune response or not. 

Health experts say they are not sure how it could bring an adverse effect on the efficacy of the vaccine. So this topic is yet to be subjected to further research. Although they are not sure it would affect vaccines’ efficacy, they agree there is a greater chance. 

Specifically, certain pain medications like acetaminophen and ibuprofen may harm your immune system’s response to the vaccine. It is just because there is a process called controlled inflammation that occurs in the body soon after it receives the vaccine. 

This is through the process of controlled inflammation the body starts to produce inflammatory mediators or antibodies against the vaccine. 

So, experts recommend you to wait until you get vaccinated to take a pain reliever, but not in case you are a regular user of such medicines.

When a few researchers conducted a study on the same, they concluded that people who take acetaminophen before getting vaccinated show the least immune response but not those who didn’t. 

Alternate Ways To Treat Pain Due To Vaccination

Other than opting for an OTC pain reliever, the CDC recommends some remedies you can follow at home. Those remedies can help you to reduce the pain and other side effects. 

Place a clean, wet, and cool washcloth

This will reduce the pain and discomfort in the area where you feel the pain or the spot you were pierced.

Move your arm

Even though you will feel difficult to follow, it is better to do some exercise with your arms. This will relieve pain effectively as you will not feel any stiffness. 

Some remedies to ease the other side effects as per CDC’s guidelines may include:

• Drinking plenty of fluids
• Dressing lightly

You start to develop the side effects only after you get fully immunized. This means, after the second dose in the case of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. But for J&J, since it is a single-dose vaccine, you are going to be hit by the pain soon after receiving it.

All the tenderness and irritation due to vaccination will disappear within a few days. In some cases, you will feel them to the extent, which may result in difficulty to follow your daily activities. If they last more than a week, you have to seek medical help.

Also, read Can Normal Life Resume After Everyone Is Vaccinated?