Some folks are experiencing a lot of pain and discomfort in their arm from their covid-19 vaccine injections, especially needle No. 2. One technique that should help those who have yet to get a covid shot is to move the arm around immediately following the injection — swinging in circles, bending and straightening, even clenching and opening the fist. This activity increases blood flow in the area and helps move the injected vaccine away from concentrating and causing pain in the local area. (Don’t rub the area, though, as that could tend to squeeze some of the vaccine back out.)

As a kid, I got lots of shots of various vaccines. My dad, a doctor and a great believer in vaccines, always advised me to move my arm around to get the vaccine to “move away from the shot area and get into your system.” It usually worked. Oh, sometimes a “horse vaccine” would hurt or an oil-based one, like some early pneumonia vaccines were, but by and large, following Dad’s advice was easy and definitely advisable!

So if you are fortunate to be about to get your first or second covid-19 injection, spend part of the 15-minute, post-shot wait period bending and swinging your arm around. I got my second shot last week at the VA hospital in Oakland, and it sure worked for me — it’s kept my arm totally pain free. Good luck.

Ed Collins

West Newton

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