Symptoms and COVID-19 are not a consistent match. In fact, medical experts across the globe have stated that symptoms are different in almost every COVID-19 case. Now, back pain has been making its way into the conversation.

Is back pain something that you should be watching out for? Read on as our team at AFC Urgent Care Gastonia has some helpful answers.

How Common Is Back Pain in COVID-19?

According to a past study done by the World Health Organization, out of nearly 56,000 analyzed cases of COVID-19 in China, around 15% of patients experienced muscle aches and pains. Back pain due to COVID-19 is grouped in with general muscle aches or pains, which the CDC lists as an official symptom.

Back and muscle pains aren’t the only symptoms to watch out for, though, when it comes to COVID-19. We’ve listed some more common symptoms below.

Other Common COVID-19 Symptoms

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

What Causes Back Pain?

Intense back pain is caused by the inflammation of your body’s immune system when fighting off harmful bacteria and viruses. This happens when the immune system cells release interleukins, which are proteins that help in the fight against invading pathogens.

Having said this, having back pain doesn’t automatically mean that you have COVID-19. There are many causes of moderate to severe back pain, which we’ve listed below.

Other Causes of Back Pain

• Pulled muscle or tendon
• Arthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Injured, herniated and ruptured discs
• Stress
• Fibromyalgia

Back pain can be extremely uncomfortable and can be tough to diagnose. If you are experiencing back pain and are in need of treatment, don’t hesitate to visit our team at AFC Urgent Care Gastonia!