If you receive an annual flu shot at a medical services clinic, you will probably want to request a pneumonia vaccination when you reach your senior years. Age 65 is generally the latest that doctors recommend for patients to have these immunizations. You should be prepared for the possibility of short-term but significant pain at the injection site for the pneumonia vaccination, as this is a common problem.

Side Effects

As with the flu shots, some patients receiving a pneumonia vaccination develop side effects like fatigue, headache, mild muscle aches, and a general overall unwell feeling. The majority of people do not experience any of these side effects, which only last a day or two in any case. However, noticeable pain at the injection site is very common. More than half of patients report this level of discomfort after their first pneumonia immunization. Nearly 80 percent say they experience this side effect when they receive their second immunization. 

Managing Discomfort

The shot is given in the upper arm. Pain may extend underneath the arm and down to the elbow. The discomfort may be bothersome enough to interfere with usual activities, as well as with sleep. It may be advisable to have the shot in your non-dominant arm. For a couple of days, you may have difficulty simply lifting your arm overhead. Exercises like swimming and lifting weights may have to be avoided for that long. There may be redness and swelling, and the site may develop an obvious bump.

Over-the-counter pain relief medication should minimize the discomfort so you don't have to give up everything you would normally do with this arm. Icing the area also helps.

Important Considerations

Even though this may be an unpleasant and inconvenient experience, you should still have the pneumonia vaccination at the age your physician recommends. Pneumonia infections can be extremely serious, especially among seniors and individuals with asthma or other respiratory conditions. 

Immunization Schedule

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control recommends that a patient receiving an initial pneumonia vaccination be administered the type known as PCV13 first. The type called PPSV23 should be administered within the next 6-12 months. Fortunately, these two shots will be effective for the rest of your life.

What to Do Now

If you have turned 65 and still haven't received a pneumonia vaccination, ask your doctor whether it's time to do so. For the sake of convenience, you can receive both the flu and pneumonia shots during the same appointment.