COVID-19 Body Aches and Muscle Pain

Though you might have achy muscles after exercise or injuries, a viral infection can be another cause. Muscle pain—or myalgia—is a known symptom of COVID. Myalgia is also relatively common in COVID cases. Research studies have shown that 19% to 86% of individuals have had COVID-related myalgia.

People may mainly experience pain in their muscles. However, myalgia can be accompanied by joint pain, or arthralgia, especially for individuals with arthritis. Here's more about muscle pain associated with COVID, including how it feels and what to do about it.

What Do COVID Body Aches Feel Like?

The muscle pain associated with COVID usually feels like "tenderness to the touch of the muscle or pain with movements of the muscle," Amir Barzin, DO, incident commander for the Respiratory Diagnostic Center at UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill, told Health.

Muscle pain from a workout can feel similar to the muscle pain caused by a virus like SARS-CoV-2. However, infection-related pain tends to be more generalized, while exercise or injury-related pain tends to be more localized in a specific muscle.

Still, people have often felt aches in certain spots in COVID cases. Those areas include the lower back, lower limbs, shoulders, and knees.

How Long Do They Last?

The duration of COVID-related body aches can vary. The muscle or joint pain may last for just a few days or longer during the illness.

You might also experience myalgia or arthralgia anywhere from a few weeks to a few months after an initial COVID infection. This period of having lingering, or new, COVID symptoms is called long COVID.

What Causes Body Aches?

With COVID infections, people can experience body aches and joint pain because of inflammation. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 leads to a bodily inflammatory response.

A substance called Interleukin-6 (IL-6), which signals the immune system to start working in response to the virus, increases inflammation in the body. The higher level of IL-6 results in painful muscles and joints due to that inflammation.

When Do They Happen?

Body aches can begin anytime before or during a COVID infection. For example, you might start having body aches early on, as myalgia and arthralgia can occur within the first few days.

Joint and muscle pain may also be one of the first symptoms of COVID you have. They can sometimes happen before respiratory symptoms such as coughing or nasal congestion.

Other Causes of Body Aches

While muscle aches can happen because of infections, they may also occur for other reasons or conditions, such as:

• Electrolyte imbalance, when you don't have enough electrolytes like potassium or calcium
• Fibromyalgia
• Injuries or trauma, such as sprains
• Lupus
• Muscle overuse
• Stress and tension
  

What to Do if You Think It's COVID

If you suspect COVID has caused your muscle pain, you should take a test as soon as possible—especially if you have other common COVID symptoms, including:

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

Should you test positive for COVID, you should follow the latest CDC guidelines and remain home, in isolation, for the recommended time period. As of publishing, CDC recommendations state you should stay home for five days and isolate yourself from those within your home as much as possible. This is the isolation guidance regardless of your vaccination status.

If your symptoms have improved or are improving at the end of your five-day quarantine—and you've been fever-free for 24 hours—you may end your isolation. However, continue to wear a mask for another five days.

Treatment Options and Home Remedies

Treatments and remedies for COVID-related muscle pain can include:

• Bed rest
• Exercise therapy or physical activity
• Fluid hydration
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin or ibuprofen
• Pain relievers like acetaminophen

You can also prevent more severe course of COVID infection by getting the latest COVID vaccination. This can lessen the side effects of COVID, including muscle pain.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

You should seek medical care if the pain remains or doesn't improve with the above treatments or home remedies. Immediate medical attention is also necessary for the following symptoms:

• Blue, gray, or pale lips, nail beds, or skin
• Chest pain or pressure that won't go away
• Difficulty swallowing
  
• Inability to move body parts, stay awake, or wake up
• Muscle weakness
• New confusion
• Reduced urination than normal
• Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
• Stiff neck or high fever
• Sudden weight gain or water retention
• Vomiting

A Quick Review

Muscle pain is a common COVID symptom, and it can feel like the same pain you may have in your muscles following exercise. You might experience short- or long-term muscle and joint pain in multiple places before, during, or after you have COVID. Muscle pain can be treated, but get tested if you've been exposed to COVID and see a healthcare provider if the pain doesn't go away or improve.