After vaccinations, the right behavior is important to protect your body. We explain to you what is allowed in the days after vaccination and what you should rather leave.
After a vaccination, your body reacts in different ways. The vaccine stimulates your immune system to form antibodies so that you are well protected in the event of a real infection. While your immune system works, your body takes time to adapt. Casively behavior can disrupt the healing process or increase the likelihood of side effects. The symptoms of vaccination reactions can also be alleviated if you behave properly after vaccination.
What happens in the body after a vaccination?
The vaccine contains killed or weakened pathogens or parts of it that activate your immune system but do not trigger illness. Your body recognizes these foreign substances and forms antibodies and memory cells in order to be able to react quickly with a real infection.
There are two terms that are often confused: vaccination reaction and side effect.
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Vaccination reaction: These symptoms are completely normal and appear because your body processes the vaccine. For example, you can have slight pain at the puncture site, fatigue, fever or headache. These reactions occur immediately after vaccination and usually disappear after one or two days.
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Side effects: these are less common and can be more serious. They usually only appear after three or more days. In this case, you should immediately seek medical help.
How you get really behave after a vaccination
The duration of the “protective program” depends on your individual reaction to the vaccine. In the first 24 to 48 hours after vaccination, many people react with slight symptoms. During this time you should avoid exhausting physical activities to give your body time to relax.
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Sport: Easy movement such as walking or gentle yoga is usually not a problem. However, you should avoid intensive sporting activities or heavy training in the first 48 hours, especially if you feel side effects such as fever or fatigue. Your body is busy developing the immune response and needs peace. You should also not exercise sports such as weightlifting or climbing immediately after a vaccination because they put a strain on the arm muscle into which the vaccination was injected.
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Alcohol: Alcohol can weaken the immune system and impair the reaction of your body to vaccination. There is no evidence that alcohol affects the effectiveness of the vaccine directly, but it can increase symptoms such as headache or tiredness. So it is better to forego alcohol in the first days after vaccination or at least not to overdo it.
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Showering: A shower is usually not a problem. However, make sure that you don’t irritate the puncture site too much. Too hot water or strong rubbing could strain the skin unnecessarily, especially if the puncture site still hurts.
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Sauna: Sauna ranges can load the circulation. Similar to intensive sport, you should be careful here. If you go to the sauna regularly, you can usually enjoy a moderate session after vaccination. For less experienced saunas: Inside, however, it is advisable to wait up to three days so as not to unnecessarily strain the body.
When you should definitely see medical help
In the event of side effects that occur several days after vaccination, you should go to your doctor. Even if you have unusually strong symptoms, you should immediately go into medical treatment:
- Signs of an allergic reaction (rash, itching, swelling on the face or neck)
- Very strong and painful swelling that do not go back
- Shortness of breath
- severe dizziness
- persistently high fever over 39 degrees Celsius
- extreme fatigue
In general, if you are unsure whether your reaction to vaccination is normal, you should not hesitate to obtain medical advice.
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