Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can decrease the effectiveness of the vaccine.
COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are being offered to more and more people. Vaccine recipients typically experience minimal side effects – the most common being temporary pain and swelling at the injection site, fever, chills, fatigue, muscle aches and pains, and headaches.
While these side effects are generally a minor nuisance to most people, some try to prevent them by taking common over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (eg Motrin, Advil) beforehand. However, experts said that these drugs not only relieve pain, but also that the vaccine is fully effective.
“We do not recommend premedication with ibuprofen or tylenol before COVID-19 vaccines because of the lack of data on how it affects vaccine-induced antibody responses,” said Dr. Simone Wildes, infectious disease specialist at South Shore Medical Center and member of the COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Group of Massachusetts, told ABC News.
The side effects of the vaccines are caused by activation of the immune system, which means that the immune system is at work and starting to build up immunity to COVID-19 – this is what we want. These painkillers are anti-inflammatory drugs. They prevent parts of the immune system from working and slow the immune response. It has been theorized that taking these medications before immunization can decrease their effectiveness.
A Duke University study found that kids who took painkillers before getting their childhood vaccines had fewer antibodies than those who didn’t, which could mean less protection. However, despite the blunting, there were still levels of protective antibodies.
“You always want an optimal response to your vaccine,” Dr. William Schaffner, infectious disease specialist and professor of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, to ABC News. “We recommend that unless people have a substantial response to the first dose they hold [pain killers]. “
“The vast majority of people have a bit of a sore arm,” said Schaffner, “but otherwise they feel pretty good.”
While experts recommend against taking over-the-counter pain relievers before getting the vaccine, they say you should keep using them if you’re already doing this for another medical condition. Schaffner warned that stopping these drugs could cause unintended problems and be more harmful than beneficial.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends checking for side effects after taking your injection. Since pain relievers and fever reducers are not intended to be used before symptoms appear, you should talk to your doctor before vaccination to decide if you should take over-the-counter pain relievers after receiving the injection.
Other more natural ways to reduce pain and discomfort include: applying a clean, cool, and wet washcloth to the injection site, and moving or exercising your arm. And if you have a fever, drink plenty of fluids and dress lightly.
“If a fever, chills, or headache occur after injection,” use pain relievers to relieve your symptoms, but not before they develop, and report any significant side effects to a medical professional, Wildes said.
Sean Llewellyn, MD, Ph.D., is a family physician at the University of Colorado and an employee of the ABC News Medical Unit.