Although back pain is not among the most common symptoms that are evidenced in patients infected with the coronavirus, there have been cases in which patients have come to the consultation manifesting lumbar discomfort and have been diagnosed with COVID-19. According to the WHO, deep muscle ailments occur in approximately 15% of cases and usually appear in the first few days, along with joint pain and headaches.
Doctor Carmen Jodar, a specialist in Family Medicine in Seville and a member of Top Doctors, does not directly associate this ailment with the disease: “The clinical manifestations encompassed under the term COVID-19 include respiratory symptoms that vary from the common cold to symptoms of severe pneumonia with respiratory distress syndrome, septic shock, and multi-organ failure. Almost 80% of the COVID-19 cases reported so far are mild. The characteristic symptoms therefore do not include back pain, which may appear in the context of the muscular pain of a flu picture or at a certain moment, when the complication of pneumonia appears. In this case, high fever and cough would be the characteristic symptoms that we would have to assess since the pain would be more localized at the rib level than at the lumbar level ”.
BACK PAIN CAN BE CONFUSED WITH CHEST PAIN OWNED BY PNEUMONIA
Even so, as explained by Dr. Jhoan Silva , Elma's medical director, it is possible that the patient is confusing back pain with chest discomfort, which could be related to pneumonia caused by the virus: “This pain is not a characteristic symptom of the coronavirus, although sometimes back discomfort is confused or referred to in this way in the presence of symptoms such as chest pain. In this case, it is convenient to assess whether there is the presence of a productive and constant cough, respiratory distress and high fever, in addition to the general condition of the patient, taking into account diagnostic criteria pneumonia caused by the virus.
TEST YOUR BREATH AND TAKE YOUR TEMPERATURE
Taking into account the symptoms that the WHO associates with the coronavirus (fever in 98% of cases with symptoms, cough in 70%, shortness of breath and general tiredness) and the testimony of the experts, an isolated back pain does not it should indicate the presence of coronavirus in the body. However, it is advisable to ensure that there are no other associated conditions to rule out the disease. If, in addition to feeling pain in your back, you breathe with difficulty, have hyperthermia, suffer episodes of coughing and feel weak, do not hesitate to contact 112 or the patient service telephone number set up in your Autonomous Community.
