How do Vaccines work? Do you really know?

[illicious]

I read up a little about Vaccines around the time the H1N1 flu thing (last year?) scare was going on.

Does anyone really know how Vaccines really work?
I mean i know could be presented with an explanation but still not understand what it really means.

Here is a short wiki explanation:

A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe or its toxins. The agent stimulates the body's immune system to recognize the agent as foreign, destroy it, and "recognize" it, so that the immune system can more easily recognize and destroy any of these microorganisms that it later encounters.

I read a little further from other places and discovered even more about it and started to realize that Vaccines are just tricks into ridding a sickness/disease.
From this i could understand why some say Vaccines don't work while others say they do work with actual live mixed results.

The way i see it now is that this isn't some chemical or some element they found in some plant or any other life form.
Its a clever but very risky trick that could help rid of a sickness/disease.

If you don't understand the medical explanation then let me give you my interpretation.

You have a great immune system that protects you from sickness and diseases of within and some foreign.
Some sicknesses like viruses (read a bit a while ago, kinda forgot a little) sometimes can't be detected or would not be attacked or other by your immune system (viruses can have their own DNA/RNA that move between cells or something like that).
Well you have something not good in you and there is no known way to make it go away unless there is.
If medically diagnosed with a certain virus, a vaccine would then suggestively be inserted into your body.
The vaccine will contain a foreign agent that would prompt your immune system to work hard to attack it.
Vaccines may also contain adjuvants with the foreign agent to extra boost the immune system to work harder to attack the disease.
This may rid of the actual virus in question.

Now this sounds to me like exhausting the immune system that can cause a dangerous imbalance damaging your insides like nerve cells and sensitive stuff like that.
If i ran in a marathon and realize i cant run no more than 10 miles then that is my limit.
Now if i take some shot that would accelerate my heart rate then i would be able to run 20 miles.
If after that 20 mile run and im still alive then i just stresses my heart, nerves and muscles very badly.

How many more 20 mile runs could i do while taking that shot before i collapse?
How many more 10 mile runs could i do without a shot?

If im wrong about Vaccines then someone please explain in a simple way.

[grapecrusher1]

I read up a little about Vaccines around the time the H1N1 flu thing (last year?) scare was going on.

Does anyone really know how Vaccines really work?
I mean i know could be presented with an explanation but still not understand what it really means.

Here is a short wiki explanation:
I read a little further from other places and discovered even more about it and started to realize that Vaccines are just tricks into ridding a sickness/disease.
From this i could understand why some say Vaccines don't work while others say they do work with actual live mixed results.

The way i see it now is that this isn't some chemical or some element they found in some plant or any other life form.
Its a clever but very risky trick that could help rid of a sickness/disease.

If you don't understand the medical explanation then let me give you my interpretation.

You have a great immune system that protects you from sickness and diseases of within and some foreign.
Some sicknesses like viruses (read a bit a while ago, kinda forgot a little) sometimes can't be detected or would not be attacked or other by your immune system (viruses can have their own DNA/RNA that move between cells or something like that).
Well you have something not good in you and there is no known way to make it go away unless there is.
If medically diagnosed with a certain virus, a vaccine would then suggestively be inserted into your body.
The vaccine will contain a foreign agent that would prompt your immune system to work hard to attack it.
Vaccines may also contain adjuvants with the foreign agent to extra boost the immune system to work harder to attack the disease.
This may rid of the actual virus in question.

Now this sounds to me like exhausting the immune system that can cause a dangerous imbalance damaging your insides like nerve cells and sensitive stuff like that.
If i ran in a marathon and realize i cant run no more than 10 miles then that is my limit.
Now if i take some shot that would accelerate my heart rate then i would be able to run 20 miles.
If after that 20 mile run and im still alive then i just stresses my heart, nerves and muscles very badly.

How many more 20 mile runs could i do while taking that shot before i collapse?
How many more 10 mile runs could i do without a shot?

If im wrong about Vaccines then someone please explain in a simple way.

A couple clarifications.

1.  A vaccine is a preventative measure and has to be administered before infection.  The medical community claim that the rule of thumb is 3 weeks for it's effects to be realized.  Ideally it should not be very taxing or have all the associated side effects we are seeing.

2.  A different analogy for vaccine use may be: 

    There is a possibility that your immune system may be forced to do a 100 mile death march in the next fall season.  Authorities have put their heads together and have come up with a formulation that would target the virus using the most advanced technology and your best interests at heart.  So in preparation you go out and get the jab which mimics the 100 mile death march pathogen but it is in a weakened form and forces your immune system to walk 5 miles.  Now because it has walked 5 miles it has developed the antibodies to combat the 100 mile death march pathogen which it previously didnt have.  These antibodies are key in mounting an initial defence to attack.  This is a crucial period where the virus is multiplying rapidly and your immune system is scrambling to develop defences, when the viral load gets to much for your immune system to handle the game is over and it is so weakened bacterial agents move in for the kill, generally.

 
 

[worcesteradam]

It doesnt have to be before infection. I can think of no scientific reason why it would have to be.
There are vaccines for Rabies, you can get them after you have been bitten but it has to be very soon after.
I guess it depends how you define infection
A virus will work its way into your body gradually, many people can carry a virus and infect others without having any symptoms, most viruses only become dangerous if they reach specific areas of the body, like once its in the brain, bloodstream or CNS.

[grapecrusher1]

It doesnt have to be before infection. I can think of no scientific reason why it would have to be.
There are vaccines for Rabies, you can get them after you have been bitten but it has to be very soon after.
I guess it depends how you define infection
A virus will work its way into your body gradually, many people can carry a virus and infect others without having any symptoms, most viruses only become dangerous if they reach specific areas of the body, like once its in the brain, bloodstream or CNS.

I should have specified influenza vaccination which MUST be administered prior to infection for any efficacy (they say 3 weeks for the influenza vax).  The scientific reason for this is laid out in point 2 which is fundamental to the whole notion of vaccination, which is to prime and prepare the immune system for an assault.  

You mention rabies vaccination which are often given to people in high risk groups or to people who have been bitten by known carrier animals.  A little more clarification on your point:  This vaccine MUST be given to possible infected individuals rapidly to confer protective antibodies BEFORE the invading pathogen's viral load gains a foothold just like any vaccine.

Rabies Vaccine
"Two decades ago, an extremely effective new rabies vaccine regimen was developed. The vaccine may be administered to protect people at high risk for rabies (pre-exposure). It may also be given after a person is exposed to rabies (post-exposure), but it is only effective when administered before the onset of symptoms. "
http://rabies.emedtv.com/rabies-vaccine/rabies-vaccine.html

You are right on the point of infection in the case of rabies but not influenza which I thought was the subject the OP started.