Causes of pain
Vaccines introduce inactivated pathogens into the human body. They “irritate” the immune system, provoking it to fight the infectious disease. Your own immune cells begin to destroy uninvited strangers.
Because of this, a reaction occurs: pain, redness, swelling where the drug was injected. This response is not a complication; it goes away on its own after a few days.
Duration of pain
The injection site may be sore for 2–3 days .
During this period of time, severe pain should not appear; this discomfort can be easily tolerated. Afterwards, the discomfort passes, the swelling subsides, and the redness disappears.
If after 3 days the pain remains, an abscess has formed at the injection site, or a fever has developed, you should consult your doctor.
Possible locations
The DTP vaccine is administered into the thigh for children and under the shoulder blade for adults.
Before vaccination, the doctor examines the patient and issues permission to carry out the procedure.
After administration of the drug, pain may appear under the shoulder blade. This is not always the puncture site.
Pain sensations spread to the shoulder, forearm, and the shoulder blade may ache.
Sometimes the injection turns yellow, this indicates that the capillary was damaged by the syringe and a small amount of blood got under the skin.
Pain under the shoulder blade
In 90% of cases, as soon as the inactivated diphtheria bacillus is inserted under the shoulder blade, patients experience pain and discomfort. This is a normal reaction that disappears a day after the procedure.
As soon as the immune cells begin to fight the weakened pathogens, soreness appears in the shoulder blade if the vaccine is placed under it.
Unpleasant sensations can spread to the entire back area.
In an adult, the pain should not be severe, since similar vaccines were administered in childhood, and the immune system recognizes them faster than in a child.
To ease the pain, you can take combined painkillers and antipyretics - Paracetamol or Ibuprofen.
Backache
After DPT vaccination, my back sometimes hurts.
This symptom is considered a normal reaction and is not considered a complication. Within 2–3 days, antibodies are produced to the injected weakened diphtheria bacillus.
After a few days the symptom goes away on its own. If the pain is nagging in nature, radiates to the arm, and is not relieved by analgesics, in adults a pinched nerve during the procedure is suspected.
Perhaps the nerve endings were damaged during the needle insertion process. Pathology requires a thorough examination.
Arm pain
This symptom does not appear immediately, but several days after vaccination.
In this case, the following symptoms are observed:
- mild pain at the vaccination site;
increased pain, spreading to the entire limb;- inflammation appears in the injection area, redness, and the skin becomes hot;
- swelling (lump) exceeds 5 cm in diameter;
- impaired sensitivity in the limb, the arm hurts so much that it is difficult for it to move.
These symptoms are classified as post-vaccination symptoms. They appear in patients with particular sensitivity to the components of the vaccine.
Such reactions do not require medical intervention if their intensity decreases after 2–3 days. Otherwise, you need to see a doctor.
Gives to the leg
The complex DTP vaccine, which is also effective against diphtheria, is administered not only under the shoulder blade, but also into the thigh. This method ensures that the vaccine gets into the muscle and not under the skin, which is strictly prohibited. Mostly children are given an injection in the thigh.
When your leg hurts after vaccination, this is a sure sign that your immune system is working well.
The symptom may be accompanied by other reactions: redness, swelling, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness. These signs are considered normal.
An acute allergic reaction, urticaria, which is accompanied by pain in the leg and severe swelling are side effects. In this case, taking antihistamines is indicated.
The child’s temperature begins to drop with a slight increase in readings, without waiting for it to rise sharply.
If the pain is severe
For severe pain, take painkillers: Paracetamol and Ibuprofen. They also reduce the temperature. If there is no chill, take analgesics.
For local anesthesia, you can apply ointments: Ichthyol, Vishnevsky. They relieve pain and accelerate the healing of inflamed tissue.
Pain should subside within 72 hours. Pain after vaccination on the fourth day is not normal. Doctors should warn about possible side effects and methods to combat them before administering the vaccine.
How can diphtheria occur?
Diphtheria pathogens can settle on the mucous membrane, as well as on damaged skin. Therefore, there are several primary localizations:
- Oropharynx. This is a typical option, which is recorded in 90–95% of all cases. The palatine tonsils are the first to be affected, so at an early stage the disease looks like tonsillitis or tonsillitis. Such diphtheria can be catarrhal, when only the tonsils are inflamed, or widespread, involving the palatine arches, palate, larynx, and so on. Following diphtheria of the oropharynx, secondary inflammatory processes may begin.
- Nose. Inflammation of the nasal mucosa can be either a primary form or a complication of oropharyngeal diphtheria. With this form, a runny nose begins, there may be plaque and diphtheria films on the nasal mucosa, and weeping areas appear on the skin. General symptoms rarely appear.
- Eyes. Most often it manifests itself as conjunctivitis, the appearance of diphtheria films on the mucous membrane, and swelling of the eyelids is possible. This form also rarely provokes the appearance of general intoxication.
- Ears. In most cases, ear diphtheria is a complication of another form of the disease. Damage to the inner ear is possible when pathogens spread through the Eustachian tube, or to the external ear when carried by hands or objects. Signs of this form are pain in the ear, discharge from the ear canal. Upon examination, diphtheria films, weeping plaque, and signs of inflammation are found in it.
- Genital organs. A rare form, most often it is a complication. The mucous membranes are inflamed and films appear on them.
- Wounds. It can develop if a pathogen gets into a wound or scratch. There are signs of local inflammation around the wound; there may be films. Such skin damage heals slowly.
Regardless of the primary localization, diphtheria can occur in different ways:
- Asymptomatic carriage. Laboratory diagnostics reveals the presence of pathogens on the affected mucosa, but there are no symptoms of the disease. Carriage can last up to several months.
- Catarrhal diphtheria. The inflammation is local, there are no signs of intoxication. The disease is mild and does not cause general symptoms or complications. Like carriage, it is typical for people who have been vaccinated.
- Subtoxic. There may be signs of general intoxication, such as fever, headache and general malaise, but there are no complications.
- Toxic. Develops in unvaccinated people. It is difficult to tolerate; on the 2nd–3rd day of the course, general symptoms appear: high fever, headaches, malaise, shortness of breath. Without treatment, complications develop: damage to the nervous, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems.
- Hypertoxic. It is characterized by a lightning-fast, severe course. Death is possible already on the second day.
In most cases, toxic diphtheria of the oropharynx occurs. Therefore, it is its symptoms that you should focus on first.
Pain and redness
After vaccination, redness appears at the injection site.
It may not be strong and goes away the next day. In people suffering from allergies, the redness can only intensify and take the form of hives.
Before vaccination, patients with allergies must notify their doctor of their diagnosis . In this case, antihistamines are prescribed before and after vaccination to reduce the allergic reaction to a minimum.
How to relieve pain
Some patients refuse to take pain medications after vaccination. You can replace medications with local anesthetics or folk remedies.
To reduce swelling, relieve redness and pain, it is recommended to apply a cabbage leaf to the injection site.
Pain relieving compress:
Crush 1 aspirin tablet, mix with 2 tbsp. l. alcohol- Lubricate the area where the vaccine is introduced with warm vegetable oil.
- Spread the mixture of aspirin and alcohol evenly over a piece of gauze folded in several layers.
- Apply the fabric to the damaged skin and secure with adhesive tape.
It is better to do the compress at night. During the day, the procedure is repeated, applying gauze soaked in the medicinal mixture for 3 hours. After 4 sessions, the pain goes away, the redness and compaction disappear.
Treatment of diphtheria
The use of folk remedies for this disease is unacceptable. Treatment of diphtheria is carried out only in an infectious diseases hospital, in an isolated box. Delay in hospitalization can cause complications and unfavorable outcome of the disease.
Therapy uses anti-diphtheria serum, antibiotics, and restorative therapy.
Carriers of toxigenic strains (variants) of the pathogen identified during examinations are also subject to hospitalization. They are prescribed antibiotic therapy.
Complications
Any vaccination has side effects that lead to complications. Such reactions occur rarely, but you need to be prepared for them. They are divided into local and general.
A local reaction is the appearance of a lump, lump, or redness at the injection site, the area of which increases to 8 cm in diameter.
Acute immune reactions:
- Rash, redness, and hives can appear not only at the injection site of the serum, but also in any part of the body. An allergic reaction usually occurs 30 minutes after the injection, in some cases – after 2-3. Antihistamines will help relieve discomfort.
- Rapid heartbeat or slow pulse. This reaction is temporary, but requires consultation with a doctor.
- Severe swelling that extends beyond the injection area spreads to the neck, arm and back.
Cramps and pain in joints and muscles. In some cases, inflammation of the joint capsule is observed.- Impaired consciousness and coordination of movements, darkening of the eyes, fainting, nausea, dizziness, febrile convulsions.
- Loss of appetite. This reaction lasts several days and goes away on its own; no medical attention is needed.
- Difficulty breathing, severe, cough, shortness of breath.
- Convulsive syndrome, fever up to +38 °C and above.
A rare complication is angioedema, anaphylactic shock. This is an acute reaction of the body, dangerous to human life. Occurs within the first 30 minutes after the vaccine is administered.
This is why doctors recommend staying in the hospital for half an hour after vaccination.
To avoid unwanted reactions of the body to the introduction of the vaccine, follow the general rules. The specialist warns the patient about them 1-2 days before visiting the clinic.
Vaccination rules:
- complete absence of symptoms of viral, infectious or chronic diseases;
- body temperature should be normal;
- Vaccinations are not given to persons with disorders of the central nervous system or immunodeficiency.
Patients suffering from allergies are vaccinated with a vaccine that does not contain the pertussis component.
Prevention
Creating artificial immunity against the disease is the most effective prevention of diphtheria. The first vaccination against diphtheria is carried out at the age of 3 months with the DPT or DPT vaccine. Then it is repeated at 4.5 months, six months, 1.5 years and 6 years. Diphtheria revaccination is carried out starting from the age of 16 once every 10 years. In addition to domestic drugs, an imported diphtheria vaccine is available - an analogue of DTP Infanrix or ADS - T.D. Vax.
Additional preventive measures:
- examination of nasopharyngeal swabs from all those in contact with the sick person;
- medical observation of contacted people for a week;
- disinfection of the premises after hospitalization of the patient.
