H1N1 Vaccine Side Effects

Many people opt to get the H1N1 vaccine each year to help ward off the flu but before you do, you may want to learn about the H1N1 side effects. This way you'll be able to make a more informed decision on whether or not to get the vaccine and what the best options are. Here are the H1N1 side effects you should be aware of.

1. Redness, swelling or soreness. This is localized to the area on your arm where you received your shot. It should simply be a small, red spot that is sore but this should go away in a few hours and at the most, a day or so.
2. Low grade fever. Fevers are quite common with the H1N1 vaccine but it should be a very low grade fever at most. This is not a serious side effect and most people won't even notice a low grade fever typically.
3. Body aches. Body aches that are similar with the flu can be one of the H1N1 vaccine side effects. This is not serious and should go away within a day or so if you even have body aches at all.
4. Nausea. Nausea is another low-risk side effect that should not be worried about. The nausea should pass within one to two days at the most. Most people do not even experience this but if it does happen it's nothing to be alarmed about.
5. Guillain Barré syndrome. This is a rare and serious condition that happens in some people where the body damages the nerve cells and can cause paralysis in some cases. This happened in 1976 during the swine flu vaccinations and was 1 in 100,000 people. However, it has not been proven that it was specifically from this vaccine or that the H1N1 vaccine poses a risk for this illness. It is a precaution though and should be noted that there is the remote chance that this can develop.

Most people won't experience any issues with H1N1 vaccine side effects but it is always a good idea to know all of the risk associated with any type of vaccine. You can then decide whether you want to take the risk and if the good benefits outweigh the risks.