After receiving the COVID vaccine, you may be eager to have some medical appointments that you have left behind in the middle of the pandemic. But, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is reason to postpone a routine procedure for at least four weeks after the final dose of the vaccine. The health authority reports that you should wait at least that long for routine mammograms, because the injection can cause swollen lymph nodes that can be mistaken for cancer. Read on to learn more about the CDC warning and for more vaccine tips. Doing so worsens the side effect of the most common vaccine, experts warn.
On its website, the CDC now recommends waiting between four and six weeks after vaccination to undergo x-ray images of breast tissue. “People who received the COVID-19 vaccine may have swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy) in their armpits close to where they were vaccinated. This swelling is a normal sign that your body is building protection against COVID-19, ”says the CDC. “However, it is possible that this swelling could cause a false reading on the mammogram,” they add.
The good news is that this swelling of the lymph nodes is supposed to be a normal part of the body’s immune response to the vaccine. It has also been reported as a side effect of the flu vaccine and polio vaccines, hepatitis, tetanus and more.
How Forbes points, this type of swelling is a surprisingly common side effect. “Swollen axillary lymph nodes were seen in men and women during the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine tests,” says the publication, noting that approximately six percent of individuals who received the Moderna vaccine had a reaction after the first dose, and approximately 8% after the second.The study participants under the age of 64 were twice as likely to experience this type of swelling than those aged 65 or over.
This means that your chances of a false positive are much greater than your chances of actually discovering cancer during routine screening in the weeks following vaccination. Although one in eight women develops breast cancer in their lifetime, “less than 0.5% of breast cancer patients have axillary lymph nodes (armpits)”, reports Forbes.
So if you’re thinking about scheduling a mammogram, go ahead – but be sure to schedule it for four to six weeks after vaccination to avoid a misdiagnosis that leads to panic. Keep reading for everything else you need to know about getting a mammogram after the vaccine and another essential COVID vaccine tip. Don’t do this two hours before or after the vaccine, doctors warn.
Although it is advisable to wait the recommended period of time before receiving your mammogram, there is no reason not to make an appointment in advance now, especially if you’re late.
Jeffrey Hawley, MD, breast imaging radiologist at Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center, recently said Better life that patients “should not postpone mammograms or the COVID-19 vaccine – especially if it leads to a long delay or if they do not have the screening.” And to get more health advice right in your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
According to a recent study published in the medical journal Clinical Imaging, you are more likely to experience swelling under the arm that received the COVID injection. Since the reaction is a localized side effect, you should note which arm received the vaccine before having a mammogram. And for more side effects expected from the COVID vaccine, these side effects are much more likely after your second injection, says the CDC.
Even if you wait four to six weeks for a mammogram, there are still some cases of prolonged swelling that can lead to an incorrect diagnosis. For this reason, you should not panic if the imaging exam appears to show axillary lymph nodes, especially if you have no history of cancer.
Rebecca Gamms, MD, a breast radiologist at the Hackensack Radiology Group / Hackensack University Medical Center, told Forbes that in this case, doctors recommend “a 2-3-month follow-up exam to allow the lymph nodes to return to normal.” Your doctor is less likely to recommend a biopsy, due to the greater likelihood of error during that period.
While doctors are asking patients to wait a few weeks for routine checkups, they also emphasize that these recommendations do no apply to individuals with specific reasons for concern. According to the CDC, warning signs for breast cancer can include a new lump in the breast or armpit, thickening of the breast tissue, irritation or undulations in the breast skin, redness, pain and more. If you notice any of these symptoms, you should speak to your doctor right away. “Women with pasta or lumps should not delay the evaluation”, advises Gamms. And for more warning signs to watch for, check out these 17 subtle signs that you may have breast cancer.