There are a few tips that people can follow that will decrease their odds of getting SIRVA from a vaccine including the Covid-19 and seasonal flu vaccines. The first tip is simply to slow down. Our health care providers are currently administering vaccines at a record pace. Naturally they are under more stress and trying to help as many people as possible. If the person receiving the vaccine takes their time and doesn’t make the person administering the vaccine feel rushed, it is far less likely something will go wrong.
Another tip for avoiding SIRVA is to wear a sleeveless shirt when you are getting a vaccine shot. This will give the person administering the shot a much better look at your arm and more space to work with. If you are going to wear a shirt with a sleeve, make sure you pull your sleave up when getting the shot. Pulling your shirt down from your neck to expose your arm creates a greater risk that the shot will be administered too high on the arm.
Another way to reduce your chances of getting SIRVA is to place your hand on your hip while you are receiving the vaccine. This will naturally relax the deltoid muscle in your arm and it will give the person giving you the shot a good look at your arm.
Finally, it is natural to experience some pain at the injection site after receiving a vaccine. Just because you experience pain does not mean that you have SIRVA. However, if the pain does not subside within forty-eight hours, you should monitor the situation carefully and consider discussing SIRVA with a medical care provider if your concerns do not subside.