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Side Effects & Skin Reactions to Shots

Shots are given for various reasons. Disease-preventing vaccinations and allergy shots are two typical reasons for injections. As with any medical treatment, injections have potential side effects and should be closely monitored.

  1. Allergy Shots

    • Allergy shots inject small amounts of allergens into the body in order to build up a tolerance. For this reason, patients are closely monitored for severe allergic reactions.

    Vaccinations

    • Standard vaccinations include flu shots; measles, mumps and rubella (MMR); polio; rabies; smallpox; and others. Anyone with an allergy to eggs should tell a doctor before receiving certain immunizations, such as the flu shot, to prevent complications.

    Skin Reactions

    • Both allergy shots and vaccinations can cause redness, pain or swelling at the injection site. The redness and swelling usually go away without treatment, but swelling larger than a quarter could be a sign of a serious allergic reaction.

    Vaccine Reactions

    • Common reactions to different vaccinations are fever, nausea, headache and fatigue.

    Allergy Shot Reactions

    • Systemic reactions are associated with allergy shots and include runny nose, sneezing, hives and wheezing.

    Warning

    • Reactions to shots are normally short-lived. However, some people experience serious complications such as infection or anaphylactic shock. It is important to always follow medical instructions and communicate any reactions to a doctor immediately.

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