The Best Post-COVID Joint Pain Treatment Options

Even after recovering from the new coronavirus infection, many persons still experience musculoskeletal issues such as joint pain, backache, muscle soreness, weariness, and stiffness in joints. The musculoskeletal system is negatively impacted by the SARS-CoV-2-induced systemic inflammatory response. People have a wide range of symptoms, and this list keeps expanding as medical professionals gain more understanding of the condition.

So what are the best post-COVID joint pain treatment options? Physical therapy, exercise, medications, and support sleeves are available to address joint pain post-COVID. Improving your posture can also help. But for a better understanding of your joint pain like its causes, symptoms, and appropriate treatments, consult with a medical professional. 

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Exercise: The Best Way to Treat Post-COVID Joint Pain

The best treatment for ailments of the muscles and joints is always exercise. A physical therapist will create an exercise program that takes into account the patient’s present physical limits as well as the issues they’re dealing with. It’s not a one-size-fits-all strategy since, like with pain, each person experiences their level of effort differently.

Typically, we advise patients to begin with low-intensity workouts before progressing to more moderate ones. But it all depends on how fit the individual is. A person should speak with their primary care provider about whether they should include painkillers in their treatment plan.

When your body is capable of handling a certain amount of physical activity, you can try physical therapy exercises like cycling, walking, or jogging. You can gradually begin weight training when you start to feel more at peace and notice that the joint discomfort is lessening in order to strengthen certain muscle areas, such as the shoulder, knee, or lower back.

Joint pain management requires a mix of weight training, cardio exercises, and aerobics. Exercise your upper body one day, then your lower body the next. You can then counteract this by engaging in cardio for the following two days. If there’s no pain, cycle, engage in cross-training, and gradually increase your level of exercise.

Self-Treatment Options for Post-COVID Joint Pain

1) Exercise 

As mentioned earlier, one reliable way to reduce joint pain from the comfort of your home is by engaging in regular exercise. The muscles around the joint can become stronger with simple strengthening exercises, improving support. If you can tone up your muscles, you may experience less discomfort since they serve as shock absorbers for your joints. Remember that exercise shouldn’t hurt your joints, and you should stop doing it right away if it does.

Exercise, which includes both stretching and strengthening exercises, reduces the joint issues brought on by COVID-19. Stretching, yoga, and tai chi are all flexibility exercises that help increase the range of motion in a joint or muscle. Muscles are made to work harder than usual by strengthening workouts. These consist of exercises including walking uphill, cycling, lifting weights, using resistance bands, and climbing stairs.

2) Posture 

Proper posture is crucial for controlling and minimizing joint and muscular discomfort. Limit the amount of time you spend in one posture by switching it up frequently. Change to a more comfortable posture or get up and move about if you notice that your symptoms are getting worse in one particular position.

3) Over-the-Counter Medications 

Joint discomfort can be relieved by anti-inflammatory drugs like Advil (ibuprofen) and Aleve (naproxen). Tylenol (acetaminophen) may be advised for people with a history of diabetes or those who take blood thinners. Topical drugs like Voltaren and Biofreeze are another option in addition to oral meds.

4) Temperature Therapy 

Cold ice packs work wonders for relieving post-COVID joint pain, despite the fact that adding heat to discomfort may seem like a good idea. Applying cool compression therapies to swollen or irritated joints is advised. Heat is beneficial for sore muscles, but it will worsen inflamed joints even if it initially feels nice.

5) Support Sleeves 

Wearing a joint support sleeve may improve your comfort level. If you do, be careful not to wear one that is excessively tight because that can lead to swollen extremities. Compression sleeves’ warmth and firmness help keep joints warm and comfortable while reducing inflammation. Furthermore, the increased circulation brought on by the compression might stop cold feet, another typical symptom of arthritis.

Areas Affected by Post-COVID Joint Pain

COVID-19 can affect your muscles and bones which results in acute joint pain. Many people may have some aches and pains prior to contracting COVID-19. Infection with a coronavirus may make these issues worse or cause them to return. Moving around frequently normally helps our joints and muscles, but COVID limits our ability to do so.

People who have coronavirus infections are less active than usual, which can result in aches, pains, stiffness, and muscle weakness. The ability to stand, climb stairs, hold onto objects with your hands, or raise your arms above your head are all impacted by muscle weakness. 

Additional strains and demands placed on some of the medications used to treat COVID-19 can also contribute to joint and muscular discomfort. These could result in increased or new joint and muscle issues. The muscle and joint complications of COVID-19 would include:

• Muscle inflammation.
• Nerve dysfunction resulting in numbness and weakness.
• Joint-related diseases.
• Abnormalities in soft tissues

Shoulder and back symptoms are the most frequent issues following COVID illness. However, issues with the muscles and joints can affect any region of the body. Some people lament the widespread pains that can temporarily come and go as they heal. Others report strange or altered sensations like numbness or pins and needles as well as weakness in their arms or legs.

After receiving COVID, certain people, especially those who have recently been hospitalized, may occasionally have severe shoulder and arm difficulties. A mix of discomfort, stiffness, arm numbness, and muscular weakness may be the cause of the shoulder and arm issue. Many of these issues will go away when the COVID-19 infection gets better, but if you experience significant issues, see a doctor or physiotherapist.

A joint autoimmune attack may be the root of the joint discomfort experienced by post-COVID patients. This is frequently observed in rheumatoid arthritis patients as well as in some viral diseases. When the immune system accidentally attacks the body, it results in an autoimmune attack. Attacks like these can occasionally cause significant knee joint damage that necessitates knee replacement surgery.

The joint capsule is harmed by the cytokines, just like the lungs are by an inflammatory reaction. Joint swelling brought on by the pains present in this condition can be severe and persistent. After a time of inactivity, such as when getting out of bed in the morning, the joint pain can worsen.

After receiving a COVID-19 immunization, some people may even develop a negative reaction. Joint and muscular discomfort may also be a part of these reactions. The goal of the immune system is to defend the body against diseases like SARS-CoV-2. But occasionally, the same immune response might result in a severe inflammatory reaction that spreads to other places throughout the body.

Reactive arthritis is a form of inflammatory arthritis that can strike certain people days or even weeks after an illness or even a vaccination. Although it’s uncommon, reactive arthritis can be brought on by respiratory infections like COVID-19.

Time to Recover from Post-COVID Joint Pain

The time that COVID-19 symptoms last varies greatly from person to person. The recuperation process may frequently take 2 weeks, but for other people, it may take much longer. Symptoms for those with extended COVID can appear 60 to 90 days after the original infection.

However, some people might go through the symptoms for a longer time. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs) may be used in the treatment of clinical arthritis, and the swelling in the joints should subside after a few days. This can last a few weeks in more severe situations.

Symptoms of Post-COVID Joint Pain

COVID-19 has an impact on your musculoskeletal health in addition to your heart, lungs, and brain. Before contracting the COVID-19 infection, the majority of the patients had some level of discomfort, which has made their post-recovery challenges much more difficult. Vitamin deficiencies, such as those in calcium, vitamin D3, and vitamin B12, are the most common cause of joint discomfort.

The excruciating joint pain can be troubling and interfere with normal tasks. Walking, standing, bending, and sitting can therefore be unpleasant activities. Even people in the general community without a history of COVID-19 infection frequently had joint pain. Vitamin deficits and a sedentary lifestyle may be to blame for this. Therefore, it’s essential for persons who experience joint discomfort to have their calcium, D3, and B12 levels frequently tested.

The following symptoms may accompany post-COVID joint pain: 

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headaches
• Loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

When to See Your Doctor

You will often be referred to a physical therapist by your health care physician. The initial assessment will take around an hour, following which the doctor will create a treatment strategy. However, due to the psychological effects of their COVID-19 experience, patients may also be referred to behavioral and mental health therapies in addition to physical therapy.

People who have experienced challenging COVID experiences, such as those who were hospitalized for a protracted period of time with it, may exhibit a variety of psychological symptoms as a result, including depression, anxiety, tension, and terror. Their perception of pain in their physical bodies may be amplified by these symptoms.

When repeated at-home remedies have failed to provide relief, it may be time to consult a doctor. Patients should typically consult a doctor if they have major edema, are unable to bear weight, have a noticeable limp, or if they have tried over-the-counter remedies and they don’t seem to be working.

Acquire Phenomenal Post-COVID Joint Pain Relief Services from aNu Aesthetics 

COVID-19 can have a severe effect on your physical well-being. Joint pain is often experienced by patients recovering from the viral disease along with fatigue and other symptoms of post-COVID syndrome. However, these effects can be treated effectively by taking active steps to manage joint pain. Functional medicine might be the answer you need for your post-COVID joint pain. 

Our goal is to help patients embrace self-care, achieve optimal health, and move in the direction of achieving overall well-being by providing them with resources that will enable them to do so. In addition to nutritional supplements, IV and IM therapy, among other things, we provide our patients medical spa treatments for body discomfort. Get in touch with us today..

Rewind The Clock Both Outside And In

Regenerative therapy has helped countless patients look and feel like the person they were years before. Call us today to book your regenerative therapy consultation.

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