Is it okay to take a pain reliever before or after your COVID-19 vaccination?
If you're experiencing common side effects such as a headache, fever or chills AFTER receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, it's perfectly fine to take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen to relieve your discomfort, experts say.
But don't take those medications before you get your shot, unless advised to do so by your doctor, because you could dampen the effectiveness of the vaccination, said Gregory Poland, M.D., an infectious disease expert at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and director of Mayo's vaccine research group.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also advises against the use of pain relievers before vaccination “for the purpose of preventing post-vaccination symptoms.”
Learn more about common COVID-19 vaccine side effects and ways to safely treat them: Treating Common Vaccine Side Effects
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