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Side Effects for a Pneumovax Shot

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that each year, more than 55,000 people die due to complications from pneumonia. The Mayo Clinic recommends that adults over the age of 50 receive at least one Pneumovax or pneumonia vaccine in order to decrease the likelihood of developing the illness. Despite its effectiveness, Pneumovax is not for everyone, as it presents several risks for side effects and complications in some patients.

  1. Common Side Effects

    • The most common side effects of Pneumovax are not normally serious in nature and pose little discomfort. Many patients receiving pneumonia vaccinations experience reactions at the site where the shot was given. These reactions include redness, warmth, pain and swelling. It is also common to develop an erythema or hard lump in the place where you received the vaccine. Also, many patients develop fevers of 102 degrees Fahrenheit or less after a Pneumovax shot.

    Other Side Effects

    • Pneumovax shots also have the potential to cause a number of other troublesome or annoying, but not dangerous, side effects. Some patients experience gastrointestinal side effects from the injection, such as nausea and vomiting. Neurological side effects of the vaccine include headache and tingling in the extremities. Additionally, some patients report muscle soreness or joint pain and inflammation. It is also possible to experience a general feeling of weakness or tiredness, body pains and chills.

    Hypersensitivity Reactions

    • Some patients develop side effects to hypersensitivity or an allergy to Pneumovax. Anaphylaxis or an immune system response are possible allergic reactions to the pneumonia vaccine. These reactions have the potential to cause minor side effects like the appearance of hives to more dangerous symptoms, including difficulty breathing and shock. Some patients experience serum sickness or a bloodstream response that causes joint pain and swelling of the lymph nodes after receiving the Pneumovax shot. Others report angioedema or severe swelling of the eyes, hands, feet, face or throat.

    Risks

    • In addition to minor side effects and the risk of interactions, the Pneumovax shot has the potential to cause serious medical complications. Some patients develop an infection of the lymph nodes or lymphadenitis after receiving the vaccine. Cellulitis, a serious infection of the skin, is another possible side effect of the Pneumovax shot. In rare cases, the vaccine leads to radiculoneuropathy, a disease that affects the nerves along your spinal cord. Another rare complication of the Pneumovax vaccine is Guillain-Barré syndrome, a disease where your immune system attacks the nerves in your arms and legs.

    Considerations

    • Because there is not yet sufficient evidence that the pneumonia vaccine has no unwanted effects upon the fetus, doctors typically do not recommend the Pneumovax shot for pregnant women. In addition, Pneumovax is not used in children under 2 years of age. If you have a history of lung or heart disease, it may not be safe to receive a pneumonia vaccine due to its possible side effects. Patients with blood disorders have the potential to develop shortages in red or white blood cells following the pneumonia vaccine.

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