Joint pain after Covid and how to prevent it

Joint pain after Covid is a common symptom that not only affects health but also seriously reduces the quality of life of patients. The article shares some ways to relieve joint pain caused by COVID and joint pain after covid.

Joint pain after Covid

Theoretically, back pain, joint pain can occur in patients with pneumonia caused by viruses (including SARS CoV 2) or other bacteria. According to research data, the symptom of osteoarthritis occurs in about 63% of cases of pneumonia caused by Delta variant, 42% occurs when infected with Omicron variant, while this symptom occurs in 70% of infected people. seasonal influenza virus.

The most important cause of joint pain after Covid is that when the body is infected with a virus (including SARS CoV 2), it will stimulate the release of Cytokines and a series of chemical mediators of the inflammatory process, thereby forming Pyrogens and Prostaglandin E2. Pyrogens is a product of cell weakening, which helps the body fight viruses by causing fever, but this substance will attach to nerves and cause pain. Along with that, Prostaglandin E2 is also formed, which is considered a specific substance that activates the pathways that cause pain in the body.

Pyrogens and Prostaglandin E2 are concentrated in the muscles of the head, shoulders, neck, lumbar muscles and muscles around the knee, causing osteoarthritis pain. Normally, the concentration of these substances will peak in about 4-5 days, so people with Covid have bone and joint pain most of the time, and then go away on their own without leaving any sequelae.

Symptoms of Covid can be very intense, because for some reason the virus thrives, the body reacts with a Cytokine storm, which means that Pyrogens and Prostaglandin E2 are secreted too much, causing extremely uncomfortable patient. In many cases, the touch of a chicken feather can cause pain, in which case most patients will not respond or respond poorly to conventional pain relievers.

After recovering from the disease, some cases of hypersensitivity, the phenomenon of increased secretion of Pyrogens and Prostaglandin E2 will continue to take place, which will lead to back pain, shoulder pain, and joint pain after Covid. It takes 6-9 months to fully recover.

The condition of joint pain after Covid 19 is very easy to misdiagnosed with diseases such as spinal degeneration, discitis, bulging or herniated disc… At this time, the patient is prescribed by the doctor to take X-ray, cut. computer class or magnetic resonance and treatment according to the right protocol to improve post-Covid-19 pain.

In addition to joint pain after Covid, back pain and shoulder pain also persist because of lung damage. According to Oriental Medicine, lung-related diseases will include symptoms of shoulder pain, neck pain and back pain accompanied by symptoms of lung damage such as cough, chest tightness, hand numbness, stiffness…

How to relieve joint pain caused by Covid

People with joint pain after Covid can take over-the-counter medications such as Ibuprofen (if the patient does not have an upset stomach or kidney disease) or Acetaminophen (Paracetamol) to relieve pain. After that, patients can apply conservative treatments to restore mobility, enhance respiratory function, and improve mental health due to post-Covid sequelae such as:

● Physical therapy:  Using specialized hand techniques combined with ultrasonic wave technology, electrotherapy acts deep into soft tissues to increase blood circulation, helping patients relieve tension in the muscles. , relieve muscle pain, muscle stiffness and increase range of motion for muscles;

● Rehabilitation: using a system of rehabilitation equipment and intensive exercises for each area of ​​the body to improve respiratory function, enhance joint mobility;

Spine adjustment: Helps release pressure at the vertebrae and joints, help the ribcage expand better, improve breathing, significantly reduce pain and promote self-healing. of body

In addition, patients can combine the application of additional support measures to help stabilize the respiratory system, maximize blood circulation, help the recovery process of joint pain after Covid take place smoothly and effectively. . To improve shortness of breath or shortness of breath, patients should refer to 2 popular breathing exercises:

● Practice diaphragmatic breathing:  Put your hands on your lower abdomen, close your lips and put your tongue on the roof of your mouth, inhale through your nose and bring the air down to your stomach, and then slowly exhale through your nose.

● Practice pursed lips breathing:  Inhale through your nose and then close your mouth, slowly exhale through your mouth so that the time to exhale is half as slow as when you inhale.

Covid patients need to strengthen their resistance with a reasonable diet: Add enough water, fiber, protein, vitamins …, can divide into many small meals, limit sugar intake, do not drink alcohol, coffee, etc. tea, no smoking,…