Is Back Pain a COVID Symptom?
With the COVID-19-19 pandemic now going away, there are still some questions that need answering regarding your health.
COVID-19 has a variety of effects on your body. The condition raises some questions, and ‘is back pain a COVID symptom?’ is one of them. Some patients experience back pain and, in some cases, that’s a manifestation of a COVID-19 infection.
At Premier Pain Doctors we are experts in back pain and have been treating our patient’s issues for years. The last couple of them has been different, though, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
We must confirm that we’ve seen cases where back pain can be related to COVID-19 in some of our patients. Not all back pain patients have COVID-19, of course, but the virus can cause some forms of back pain.
Whether back pain is COVID-19 or not depends on a few other symptoms.
If you start feeling intense pain and have not any suspicion about why it is, we recommend you to go visit your doctor due to one of the possibilities is that the pain is originated from the coronavirus presence on your body.
On the other hand, if you don’t have COVID-19, let our back pain specialists take a look at you and set the best treatment course. We specialize in the welfare of our patients by making the pain go away.
The Effects of COVID-19-19 That Might Cause You Pain
COVID-19 back pain can be caused by a variety of factors.
One of the most common reasons people with COVID-19 experience back pain is because the virus affects the lungs and airways. This can lead to a build-up of fluid in the lungs, which can cause chest and back pain.
COVID-19 can also cause inflammation and pain in the joints, which can lead to back pain. Additionally, the stress of being infected can lead to muscle pain.
Back pain associated with COVID-19 can vary in intensity and location. It can range from a mild annoyance to severe and debilitating pain. Lower back pain is the most common people experience, but it can also occur in the upper back, neck, and shoulders.
The pain can be constant or intermittent and can vary in intensity. It may be worse when you move or when you cough or sneeze.
But is back pain a COVID-19 symptom?
Well, in some cases. COVID-19 appears in your body in different ways, and the symptoms vary depending on each patient.
Experiencing back pain after exercise, after a lot of walking time, or after an uncomfortable and sleepless night doesn’t probably mean COVID-19, but if you experience fever, headaches, or other symptoms you should go to your doctor.
Other COVID-19 Symptoms
Keep in mind that COVID-19 comes with other symptoms that will affect your body, depending on how the virus attacks your immune system.
Watch out for other symptoms that come with back pain, as they could be a COVID-19 19 indicator. Even if you’re vaccinated or not, some symptoms combined, including back pain, are a clear signal to go to your doctor to get a COVID-19 test and have a treatment.
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, it is best to contact your doctor and get tested for COVID-19: fever, dry cough, general discomfort, tiredness, loss of taste, and smell.
Less frequent symptoms are a sore throat, headaches, diarrhea, and, as mentioned, muscular pain, including back pain.
Other Causes of Back Pain
Back pain is a very common problem, and there are many different causes. You mustn’t think that all back pain is an indicator of COVID-19.
Some of the most common causes besides COVID-19 include:
Overuse or Strain of the Back Muscles
A strain occurs when you twist or pull a muscle. This is associated with the overuse of your muscles, which causes your tendons to experience stress and pain.
This can happen in your high or low back, and you’ll probably need rest and then some exercise if this is your case.
Consulting with specialists is the best option to always be sure of the best treatment for pain relief.
Treatment for a sprain or strain may include rest, ice, compression, elevation, medication, and physical therapy. Consult with your doctor and find relief for your back pain.
Arthritis or Other Degenerative Diseases of the Spine
Arthritis causes inflammation and pain in your joints. If we’re talking about back pain, you might have arthritis on your back, which is called osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that occurs when the protective cartilage on the ends of the bones wears away, causing pain, stiffness, and swelling. Osteoarthritis is a common cause of back pain in older adults.
Another related condition you might have is spinal stenosis, which causes the spinal canal, the opening through which the spinal cord passes, to become narrowed. This can put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves, causing pain, numbness, and weakness in the legs.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing arthritis, but there are many things you can do to help ease your symptoms. Some common strategies include exercise, pain relief medications, and lifestyle changes.
Herniated Discs
A disk is a soft, cushion-like structure that sits between the bones in your spine. A disk can herniate, or rupture, when the outer ring of the disk is damaged and the inner jelly-like material leaks out.
The leaked material can irritate and damage the nerves in your spine, causing pain, numbness, and weakness in the legs or feet. Herniated disks are a common cause of sciatica, a type of back pain that radiates down the leg.
Sciatica
The hallmark symptom of sciatica is pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which branches from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down each leg.
The pain often worsens when you sit and might come with numbness, tingling, or weakness in the affected leg. Sciatica can cause considerable pain and disability.
Go and see your doctor if you have persistent low back pain that radiates into your buttocks and legs. Watch out for numbness and weakness in those areas.
Infection or Inflammation of the Spine
The spine is a common site of infection and inflammation. The most typical infectious and inflammatory conditions affect the anatomic compartments of the spine.
Imagine the spinal cord as a long, cylindrical structure that is enclosed in a place called the spinal canal. It’s protected by three meninges: the dura mater, the arachnoid mater, and the pia mater.
The spinal cord and its meninges can be imaged with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and positron emission tomography (PET).
These procedures would help your doctor to determine if you have inflammation or infection in your spinal cord or your spinal canal.
FAQ about back pain and COVID-19
Is back pain a COVID-19 symptom?
Just sometimes, not every back pain you feel it’s COVID-19. If you have the virus, back pain usually comes with some other symptoms like fever, colds, headaches, and more. Checking out with your doctor is the best strategy to rule the COVID-19 out.
When should I get a COVID-19 test?
If your back pain comes with fever and loss of appetite and smell, you should go to your doctor as soon as possible. You might have COVID-19, and a test can confirm it or discard it. Also, if you don’t have COVID-19, your doctor will be able to evaluate other possible sources for your back pain.
What should I do if I have back pain and fever?
There are several reasons why you can feel back pain and fever, and COVID-19 is one of them. If you experience both conditions for a couple of days, go to your doctor.
Is COVID-19 going away?
COVID-19 will diminish from a pandemic status, but it’ll continue as a virus. This means that you might get it sometime in the future, but probably less risky.
