Why does a meningitis ACWY vaccine hurt less than a standalone meningitis C one?
When I was at secondary school, I received the meningitis C vaccine (NeisVac C) in 2014 alongside the DTP vaccine. About a year later, they began giving secondary school students the meningitis ACWY vaccine which protects against more variants of the disease, and in 2016 my yeargroup was offered it (Nimenrix) even though most of us had already received the meningitis C vaccine about 18 months earlier.
Something that I and most of my yeargroup noticed was that the meningitis C one hurt noticeably more than the ACWY one, at least when it was being injected - the meningitis C vaccine felt like a moderately sharp sting for a second or two and then became bruised feeling almost immediately whereas most of us could barely feel the ACWY one until our arms became a little bruised feeling a few hours later (my Pfizer Covid vaccine also hurt very little until about 6 hours later). My question would be why this is, when the ACWY one protects against 4 types of meningitis, including C, whereas the standalone meningitis C vaccine protects against only one type. Both are given as intramuscular vaccines, so one would have normally expected them to both feel similar to receive.
I'd put it down to either a difference in the fluid (the Men C vaccine I received was developed in the early 1980s whereas the ACWY one was approved in 2012) or the possibility that syringe needles have improved over the past 10 years.
Something that I and most of my yeargroup noticed was that the meningitis C one hurt noticeably more than the ACWY one, at least when it was being injected - the meningitis C vaccine felt like a moderately sharp sting for a second or two and then became bruised feeling almost immediately whereas most of us could barely feel the ACWY one until our arms became a little bruised feeling a few hours later (my Pfizer Covid vaccine also hurt very little until about 6 hours later). My question would be why this is, when the ACWY one protects against 4 types of meningitis, including C, whereas the standalone meningitis C vaccine protects against only one type. Both are given as intramuscular vaccines, so one would have normally expected them to both feel similar to receive.
I'd put it down to either a difference in the fluid (the Men C vaccine I received was developed in the early 1980s whereas the ACWY one was approved in 2012) or the possibility that syringe needles have improved over the past 10 years.
Different vaccines affect the body differently. Its probably what's in them that causes the difference not the needle, I think the developers are more interested in it working than it not hurting. I recently got the HPV catchups (so had 3 jabs total) and they hurt like a mother trucker, not only did my arm hurt almost immediately after but I could feel the injection going in and it was very painful. pretty sure it was the same kind on needle as my covid jabs which, despite not hurting going in at all, made me feel very ill after which is something I've never experienced with a vaccineOriginal post by lol.yolo Different vaccines affect the body differently. Its probably what's in them that causes the difference not the needle, I think the developers are more interested in it working than it not hurting. I recently got the HPV catchups (so had 3 jabs total) and they hurt like a mother trucker, not only did my arm hurt almost immediately after but I could feel the injection going in and it was very painful. pretty sure it was the same kind on needle as my covid jabs which, despite not hurting going in at all, made me feel very ill after which is something I've never experienced with a vaccine
Different vaccines affect the body differently. Its probably what's in them that causes the difference not the needle, I think the developers are more interested in it working than it not hurting. I recently got the HPV catchups (so had 3 jabs total) and they hurt like a mother trucker, not only did my arm hurt almost immediately after but I could feel the injection going in and it was very painful. pretty sure it was the same kind on needle as my covid jabs which, despite not hurting going in at all, made me feel very ill after which is something I've never experienced with a vaccineI'm male and wasn't offered the HPV vaccine at school, but I know from what I've heard that they tend to hurt more than most other vaccines (though I have quite a high pain threshold). I didn't experience many side effects from either of my Covid jabs apart from a sore arm (which was worse after the first) and some very mild fatigue after my second.
Original post by RJDG14
I'm male and wasn't offered the HPV vaccine at school, but I know from what I've heard that they tend to hurt more than most other vaccines (though I have quite a high pain threshold). I didn't experience many side effects from either of my Covid jabs apart from a sore arm (which was worse after the first) and some very mild fatigue after my second.
I've had a total of 5 vaccine injections in the last year :/ funny enough I hadn't had a jab for a long time before the HPV so forgot what they were like, I thought the HPV pain was standard for vaccines so was pleasantly surprised when I felt nothing for the first covid jab and googled, turns out yes, apparently the HPV is a particularly nasty one.
Original post by black tea
Yeah, I have noticed the same with different vaccine too. The syringe needle will have likely been the same, but there might have been some preservative or ingredient in the vaccine that's a bit more irritant, or maybe a different volume of fluid going in?
Probably. I recall that the nurse said after I had the Men C one, which was the second I had, that "you probably felt that one more".
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