Can COVID-19 Cause Back Pain?

Body aches and pains are common symptoms of COVID and can persist long after other symptoms subside.

By
Claire Gillespie
Claire Gillespie
Claire Gillespie is an experienced health and wellness writer. Her work appears across several publications including SELF, Women’s Health, Health, Vice, Verywell Mind, Headspace, and The Washington Post. 
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Updated on December 6, 2023
Medically reviewed by
Oluseun Olufade, MD
Oluseun Olufade, MD
Medically reviewed by Oluseun Olufade, MD
Oluseun Olufade, MD, is an Orthopedic Surgeon and Assistant Professor of Orthopedics at the Emory School of Medicine.
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Muscle and body aches are listed as one of the main COVID symptoms, but back pain is not listed specifically. However, research found that back pain affects people who contract the virus SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID. One study found that, out of 828 individuals, 20% reported having low back pain while sick with COVID.

COVID back pain may be a symptom of an active COVID infection or it can be part of long COVID. Here's what you need to know about back pain, including how to tell if it's related to COVID, how to get relief, and more.

Person sits on couch and puts hand on back in pain.

stefanamer / Getty mages

Does COVID-19 Cause Back Pain?

Yes, COVID can cause back pain—and this is not an uncommon experience when your body fights off any viral infection. You may experience muscle aches and pains with COVID due to your body's natural inflammatory response when a virus invades it.

Musculoskeletal (MSK) pain has been reported as one of the most common symptoms of COVID. One study indicated that MSK symptoms occurred in 36% of cases—the third-most reported symptom after fever and coughing.

Does Long COVID Cause Back Pain?

Long COVID refers to COVID-related effects that last beyond or begin after an initial COVID infection has been resolved. This condition may result in back pain as joint or muscle pain occurring anywhere in the body can be a long-term effect of the disease.

Long-term effects of COVID mostly occur among people who previously experienced severe symptoms of the disease. Long COVID can also persist among people who have mild symptoms or even no symptoms at all.

Researchers found that muscle aches were the second most common symptom of long COVID. In a group of 201 young, low-risk patients in the UK with ongoing symptoms of the disease, 88% of them reported experiencing muscle aches four months after their initial symptoms of COVID infection.

Also, a review explored MSK pain symptoms as part of long COVID. The analysis of 35 studies revealed that MSK pain was a common long COVID symptom and included back pain. Of note, reports of back pain as part of long COVID reduced as time progressed: People reported having less back pain beyond six months or more.

How Do You Know If Your Back Pain Is Due to COVID?

It's possible your back pain could be related to COVID if you have other symptoms of COVID—but sometimes COVID does not present with any symptoms. The only way to know for sure is to get tested for COVID.

Other Conditions That Can Cause Back Pain

If your COVID test results are consistently negative, something else might be responsible for your back pain. Back pain could be the result of:

  • Back and spine bone infections
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Inflammatory conditions, like arthritis that affect the spine
  • Job-related factors, such as roles that require pushing and pulling or sitting for long periods
  • Lack of regular physical activity
  • Mechanical or structural problems, like sprains or degenerative disc disease
  • Osteoporosis
  • Pregnancy
  • Stress or anxiety

At-Home Remedies for Back Pain

Over-the-counter medicines, like ibuprofen, may help relieve back pain. Applying heat or ice to painful areas may also be helpful, starting with ice, then heat.

Other home remedies for general back pain may be:

  • Adding exercises gradually after speaking with a healthcare provider about the ones that are right for you
  • Getting up to move when you've been sitting for a long time
  • Limiting how much you carry at a time
  • Sleeping on your side or back with a pillow between your knees
  • Using back support when traveling long distances and stopping for breaks
  • Wearing comfortable shoes with low heels

When To Contact a Healthcare Provider

Contact a healthcare provider if you have severe, persistent, uncomfortable back pain, a history of previous back pain but newer back pain is worse or feels different, or back pain following a severe blow or fall. You'll also want to talk to a provider for the following related to back pain:

  • Burning or blood with urination
  • History of cancer
  • Incontinence, or loss of control over urine or stool
  • Redness or swelling on your back or spine
  • Traveling pain in legs below your knees
  • Unexplained fever
  • Unintentional weight loss
  • Weakness or numbness in your lower body, from your pelvis to your legs
  • Worsened pain upon lying down or pain that wakes you up during the night

Also, seek immediate medical care for any of the COVID warning signs, which include:

  • Chest pain or pressure that won't go away
  • Difficulty staying awake or waking up
  • Discolored—blue, pale, or gray—lips, nail beds, or skin
  • New confusion
  • Trouble breathing

A Quick Review

Back pain is a potential symptom of COVID and long COVID. However, other conditions and factors can cause back pain, from sprains and infections to not being active enough.

You can treat back pain with various home remedies like using ice and heat or moving when you've been sitting for a while. Seek medical attention if you have back pain that doesn't go away, worsens, or accompanies other symptoms like fever or if you have COVID warning signs.

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12 Sources
Health.com uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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