WHAT SIRVA TREATMENT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE?
• Steroid shots: A steroid injection may be prescribed in order to help reduce the amount of inflammation in the shoulder as well as preserve the joint functions and structures. • Pain medication: While some people will use over-the-counter medications such as Advil or Tylenol to alleviate their pain, others may need a pain prescription medication. • Surgery: In extremely rare cases, surgery may be recommended to help fix any ligaments or tendons damaged by inflammation.
Each year, many people in the United States will get vaccinated. A small percentage will experience severe shoulder pain that doesn’t go away. These folks will have trouble lifting their arm and doing everyday tasks. These symptoms are typical signs of SIRVA, or a shoulder injury related to vaccine administration. SIRVA is a rare condition that happens when a vaccine is administered improperly in the shoulder. Medical providers are taught to administer a vaccine in a certain location in the shoulder muscle. The vaccine’s needle also must be inserted with a specific depth. Should the administrator give the vaccine either too high or deep into the shoulder, they can cause damage to the tendons, ligaments, and/or bursa (a fluid-filled sac underneath the shoulder cap). When this happens, the shoulder becomes inflamed and painful.
SIRVA isn’t necessarily a single diagnosis. However, it’s an umbrella term to help describe that a shoulder injury was caused by a vaccine. SIRVA-related diagnoses include frozen shoulder syndrome, shoulder tendinitis, rotator cuff injury, shoulder impingement syndrome, and shoulder bursitis. A doctor may order several tests to determine which condition the patient has. These tests can include a physical exam, an MRI, or an ultrasound. Depending on the severity of the shoulder injury, there’s an array of treatment options often recommended, including: • Physical therapy: Physical therapy is usually the first step in treating SIRVA. It helps rehabilitate the loss of range of motion that typically occurs with the condition.
If you have any questions regarding SIRVA, you can visit our blog at ShannonLawGroup.com to learn more.
–Jon Svitak
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