Is neck pain a sign of COVID-19? What to know

Some folks with COVID-19 expertise neck ache, soreness, and stiffness. In some instances, neck ache is usually a persistent symptom of lengthy COVID.

Muscle pain is likely one of the most common symptoms of COVID-19. It’s normally gentle and can go away in a number of days, however hardly ever, it could sign a critical complication, such as meningitis.

COVID-19 signs differ from individual to individual and can rely upon whether or not somebody has obtained vaccinations, which pressure of COVID-19 they’ve, and whether or not they have some other well being circumstances.

As an example, an individual who already has muscle or neck pain might discover that it worsens once they develop COVID-19.

Normally, folks can handle COVID-19-related neck ache at house. If they’ve extreme signs or if their ache doesn’t resolve, they need to search medical care.

Learn extra to study concerning the hyperlink between neck ache and COVID-19, easy methods to handle it, and extra.

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Muscle ache is likely one of the commonest signs of COVID-19. Based on a 2020 literature assessment, 11–62.5% of individuals with COVID-19 had muscle ache and soreness. Moreover, 10–15% of individuals skilled joint pain.

For a lot of people, muscle ache concentrates within the neck, shoulders, and again.

Extra lately, a 2022 research in contrast COVID-19 signs when each Delta and Omicron have been the dominant variants, respectively. The researchers discovered comparable charges of joint and muscle ache for each variants. Greater than 40% of individuals reported joint ache, and about 30% reported muscle aches.

There are two foremost causes of COVID-19-related muscle ache, together with neck ache.

The virus might bind to angiotensin changing enzyme 2 receptors within the muscular tissues. This straight impacts every muscle and might trigger soreness and ache.

Moreover, specialists suppose inflammation within the muscular tissues may cause ache. When an individual has a fever, the physique’s immune system triggers a cascade of reactions that promote irritation. Though this may also help battle an infection, it could additionally result in widespread muscle ache.

COVID-19 might also not directly trigger muscle ache. If an individual stays in mattress for days when they’re unwell, their muscular tissues might really feel stiff and sore.

Much less typically, folks develop neck ache for different causes.

For instance, a 2020 case report adopted an individual hospitalized with COVID-19 who had ache within the entrance of the neck, the place the thyroid lies. They obtained a prognosis of subacute thyroiditis and hyperthyroidism. The thyroid dysfunction was a complication of COVID-19.

Moreover, viral infections, together with SARS-CoV-2 an infection, can sometimes spread to the meninges of the brain. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19.

A number of case reviews element the experiences of individuals with viral meningitis because of COVID-19. Viral meningitis typically clears by itself, however bacterial meningitis might be deadly.

If an individual has signs of meningitis, they need to search quick medical consideration. Go to the emergency room if an individual has a excessive fever and experiences any of the next:

very stiff neck
mild sensitivity
confusion
adjustments in persona or temper

Some folks proceed to expertise signs after their SARS-CoV-2 an infection clears. Well being specialists seek advice from this as long COVID.

Scientists don’t totally perceive what causes lengthy COVID or why some folks develop it and others don’t. Nevertheless, emerging research means that autoimmunity, when the immune system assaults wholesome tissue, is likely to be an element. Continual irritation might also play a task in lengthy COVID.

A 2022 preprint study that’s nonetheless present process peer assessment investigated the signs of lengthy COVID, together with muscle ache.

Drawing on a consultant pattern of individuals in the US, the research discovered a correlation between experiencing headaches, sore throat, and hair loss throughout a SARS-CoV-2 an infection and later creating lengthy COVID.

The folks additionally skilled larger charges of muscle and physique aches throughout an an infection, with 70% of people with lengthy COVID reporting this symptom, in contrast with simply 56% of all folks with COVID-19.

Physique aches have been additionally a typical lengthy COVID symptom, with 32% of individuals reporting aches and pains after the an infection. About 12% of individuals with lengthy COVID reported having this symptom throughout their SARS-CoV-2 an infection.

Folks with gentle signs and no well being circumstances that would improve their danger of extreme COVID-19 don’t want further therapy. They can manage their signs at house.

To handle their neck ache, they will attempt to:

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Folks with sure medical circumstances — equivalent to diabetes, heart disease, cancer, or circumstances that weaken the immune system — could also be eligible for added therapies. These embody Paxlovid and monoclonal antibody remedy.

If an individual has an underlying well being situation and contracts SARS-CoV-2, they need to contact a health care provider.

In individuals who develop lengthy COVID, a health care provider will deal with managing and assuaging signs. There may be no specific treatment that works for everybody with lengthy COVID. Ongoing analysis trials purpose to raised perceive this situation.

COVID-19 has a variety of signs, and it generally causes muscle aches. Some folks expertise stiff neck or neck ache, and usually, this isn’t an uncommon symptom, and it’ll go away when the SARS-CoV-2 an infection resolves.

Nevertheless, in some people, a really stiff neck together with different signs, particularly adjustments in pondering or notion, might recommend an individual has meningitis or one other critical COVID-19 complication. Folks experiencing these signs ought to search emergency medical care.

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