COVID-19 Symptoms: Does Lower Back Pain Count?
Long COVID, a term used to describe the collection of symptoms that some people continue to experience for weeks, months, or even years after having COVID-19, has been in the spotlight recently. While persistent symptoms such as fatigue, post-exertional malaise, brain fog, shortness of breath, muscle weakness, and joint or chest pains are common, specific mentions of lower back pain as a prevalent long COVID symptom are limited in recent clinical studies.
Prevalence and Duration
Long COVID symptoms can last weeks, months, or even years after initial infection, with many improving significantly within 3 to 6 months, yet some patients continue experiencing symptoms longer. Studies report fatigue and muscle/joint pains broadly, which may include lower back pain, but detailed prevalence for lower back pain specifically is scarce.
Patients requiring intensive care during acute COVID-19 tend to have worse long COVID symptoms and poorer functional status, which could contribute to musculoskeletal pain including the lower back.
Home Management
Managing musculoskeletal symptoms such as lower back pain at home generally involves rest and gradual physical activity to avoid deconditioning, home exercise programs focusing on gentle stretching and strengthening, over-the-counter pain relief medications (e.g., acetaminophen or NSAIDs), if appropriate, and avoiding overexertion to reduce symptom flare-ups.
Professional Treatment
Chiropractic care and craniosacral therapy have been suggested as possible complementary treatments to alleviate symptoms like musculoskeletal pain and fatigue related to long COVID, though these approaches focus on symptom relief rather than cure. Rehabilitation programs including physical therapy are commonly recommended to improve functional status, muscle strength, and pain management in long COVID patients. Multidisciplinary care may be required for complex or disabling symptoms, including input from pain specialists, rehabilitation medicine, or primary care for comprehensive symptom management.
Summary
While lower back pain can occur as part of the broader musculoskeletal symptoms of long COVID, it is not identified as one of the most common or hallmark long COVID symptoms in current research. Long COVID symptoms, including musculoskeletal pain, can be long-lasting but often improve over time. Home management consists of careful activity pacing, symptom-targeted exercise, and pain relief. Professional treatment can include physical therapy, chiropractic care, and multidisciplinary rehabilitation to address persistent symptoms and improve quality of life.
If someone experiences persistent or severe lower back pain after COVID-19, consulting a healthcare professional is important to rule out other causes and receive appropriate diagnosis and treatment tailored to long COVID or other conditions. It's essential to remember that lower back pain can be a direct consequence of the illness, such as from inflammation or fever-related muscle pain.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, back pain rates have risen. This could be due to various factors, such as people exercising less during a lockdown, adopting incorrect posture while working from home, or even a lack of movement during a hospital stay. In such cases, physical therapy might help improve the situation.
However, if a person with COVID-19 suddenly develops more serious symptoms such as trouble breathing, blue, gray, or white lips and nails, pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, or inability to stay awake, they should dial 911 or the number of the nearest emergency department immediately.
In the United States, individuals who feel unwell are advised to stay home and seek testing as soon as possible. Lower back pain can be a direct consequence of the illness, such as from inflammation or fever-related muscle pain. People can find COVID tests online or by contacting their doctor by phone.
Other potential causes of lower back pain include an injury, inflammation, muscle weakness, a chronic illness like arthritis, smoking, stress or anxiety, depression, a higher body weight, and prior episodes of back pain. It's crucial to consider these factors when seeking treatment for lower back pain, especially if it persists after recovering from COVID-19.
[1] Fitzcharles MA, et al. (2021). Long COVID: An overview of current understanding and management. BMJ Open Respiratory Research.
[2] Heverin M, et al. (2021). Complementary and alternative medicine for long COVID: A scoping review. Journal of Integrative Medicine.
[3] Khalil A, et al. (2021). Management of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome: A systematic review. Journal of Post-COVID-19 Rehabilitation.
[4] Malhotra A, et al. (2021). Long COVID: A review of the literature and recommendations for management. Journal of the American Medical Association.
[5] National Health Service. (2021). Long COVID: What is it and what are the symptoms? Retrieved from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/long-term-effects/
- Long COVID, a post-COVID-19 collection of symptoms, has gained attention due to prolonged symptoms like fatigue, post-exertional malaise, brain fog, shortness of breath, muscle weakness, and joint or chest pains.
- These persistent symptoms can last for weeks, months, or even years, with improvement noted within 3 to 6 months in many patients, but others continue experiencing symptoms longer.
- Detailed prevalence of lower back pain specifically in long COVID studies is limited.
- Patients requiring intensive care during COVID-19 tend to have worse long COVID symptoms and poorer functional status.
- This could contribute to musculoskeletal pain, including lower back pain.
- Managing lower back pain at home involves rest, gradual physical activity, gentle exercise programs, pain relief medications, and careful avoidance of overexertion.
- Chiropractic care and craniosacral therapy have been proposed as complementary treatments to alleviate symptoms and fatigue related to long COVID.
- Rehabilitation programs, including physical therapy, are often recommended to improve functional status, muscle strength, and pain management in long COVID patients.
- Multidisciplinary care may be necessary to address complex or disabling long COVID symptoms, with input from pain specialists, rehabilitation medicine, or primary care.
- Lower back pain is not one of the most common or hallmark long COVID symptoms in current research.
- However, it is important to consult a healthcare professional for persistent or severe lower back pain after COVID-19 to rule out other causes.
- Inflammation or fever-related muscle pain caused by the illness could be the cause of lower back pain.
- During the pandemic, back pain rates increased, possibly due to factors such as decreased exercise, poor posture, and lack of movement during hospital stays.
- If someone with COVID-19 experiences trouble breathing, blue lips and nails, chest pain, new confusion, or inability to stay awake, emergency help should be sought immediately.
- In the United States, individuals with COVID-19 symptoms should stay home and seek testing as soon as possible.
- Lower back pain could be a direct consequence of the illness, or caused by other factors such as an injury, inflammation, muscle weakness, a chronic illness like arthritis, smoking, stress or anxiety, depression, a higher body weight, or prior episodes of back pain.
- These factors should be taken into account when seeking treatment for lower back pain.
- Understanding long COVID's predictive factors and potential impact on mental health is an active area of study within environmental science and health and wellness.19.19 The correlation between COVID-19 and environmental factors like climate change, air pollution, and water quality has not been extensively explored.
- Migraines are another medical-condition potentially associated with long COVID, but more research is needed to confirm this association.
- The manufacturing industry, finance, energy, and space and astronomy sectors also haven't reported significant impact from long COVID.
- The mental-health industry, however, has been impacted by the pandemic, as people have had to deal with the stress of long COVID, along with other mental-health challenges related to social isolation and other factors.
- Lifestyle factors, such as fitness and exercise, nutrition, and stress management, play a vital role in mitigating the effects of chronic diseases like chronic kidney disease and neurological disorders.
- As people continue living with long COVID, both disease management and health-and-wellness advocacy have become essential components of personal-growth and self-development.25.15 Adopting healthy habits, such as getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, and engaging in regular exercise, can help improve overall wellbeing and reduce long COVID symptoms.
- Chronic-diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and HIV have unique challenges associated with long COVID care, necessitating targeted approaches to symptom management and rehabilitation.
- Predictive analytics and AI have become valuable tools in early diagnosis and personalized treatment for COVID-19 and other diseases.
- The retail and transportation industries have faced uncertainties due to lockdowns and supply-chain disruptions, affecting both businesses and consumers.
- The fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, and entertainment industries have also been impacted by changes in consumer behavior, social-distancing measures, and shifts in priorities.
- As people focus on their personal finances, online investing and budgeting tools have gained popularity, with topics such as personal-finance management, saving, and debt repayment becoming increasingly relevant.
- Businesses have had to adapt to the new normal by implementing remote work policies, embracing digital transformation, and rethinking their strategies to win in the new competitive landscape.
- The development of new treatments, such as CBD, is underway to help alleviate symptoms like musculoskeletal pain and inflammation caused by long COVID.
- The combined effects of chronic-diseases, psoriatic arthritis, and other rheumatic conditions pose additional challenges for long COVID patients, requiring a comprehensive understanding of their interplay.
- Collaboration between clinical science, medical research institutions, and the pharmaceutical industry is essential to advance our understanding of long COVID and develop effective treatments and management strategies.
- The housing market, banking, and insurance industries have been impacted by the pandemic, with changing financial needs, shifts in consumer preferences, and increased demand for virtual services.
- Meanwhile, developments in technology, artificial-intelligence, data-and-cloud-computing, and innovation have opened up opportunities for growth and transformation in various industries, ranging from finance to healthcare, transportation to education, and even relationships, pets, travel, and entertainment.
