Ellen DeGeneres’ experience with COVID-19 sheds light on a lesser-known symptom of the virus: severe back pain. The 64-year-old talk show host, who contracted the virus in December 2020, shared her surprise about the back pain, which she hadn’t heard about as a symptom of COVID-19. At the time, research on COVID-19 symptoms was still limited, and while back pain wasn’t listed by health organizations like the CDC, it became apparent that muscle and joint aches were more common than initially understood.
In an update shared on social media, DeGeneres explained that she followed all the proper precautions but was still surprised by the back pain. As she recovered, she spoke about how this particular symptom was not widely discussed, although she learned from others who had the same issue.
The UK’s NHS suggests that COVID-19 can exacerbate existing muscle and joint pain due to reduced activity during illness. When individuals are unwell, they often move less, leading to stiffness, aches, and weakened muscles, which could explain the back pain experienced by many COVID patients, including DeGeneres. Additionally, the rise in work-from-home arrangements during the pandemic contributed to a decrease in physical movement, leading to more reports of back discomfort during this time.
Studies, such as one from Malta, showed a significant increase in people experiencing chronic back pain post-COVID, with nearly half of participants reporting back issues after contracting the virus. While back pain alone doesn’t mean someone has COVID-19, it can be one of many symptoms associated with the illness, along with other signs like fever, cough, and muscle aches.
This highlights the diverse ways COVID-19 affected individuals, with symptoms evolving as more research was conducted and as people spent more time indoors due to the pandemic’s restrictions.
