Muscle pain is reported in 6% of cases and joint pain in 3% of cases 7 to 9 months after infection. 12 months following the initial infection, muscle pain is reported in 7.3% of cases and joint pain in 3% of cases. With the Omicron variant, muscle pains and joint pain are less persistent, occurring in 2.5% of cases and 1.8% of cases respectively 3 months after primary infection.
Muscle or joint pain may be due to inflammation, tendinitis or arthiritis. If the pain becomes chronic without evidence of inflammation or other causes, a diagnosis of fibromyalgia should be investigated.
A diagnosis of fibromyalgia must meet the following three conditions:
- Painful symptoms present for at least three months
- Pain and severity of symptoms according to validated scales administered by a health professional
- Any other cause of chronic osteoarticular pain must be excluded.
How do we test for it ?
There is no test for or universal method for managing post-COVID pain. It is still managed on a case-by-case basis. We recommend that, after speaking to your primary care physician, if your symptoms have lasted longer than 3 months or are debilitating, you should consult a rheumatologist.
How is it treated ?
Some treatments, such as anti-inflammatory drugs, can help if inflammation is suspected or observed. Non-drug treatments, such as physiotherapy, shiatsu, hypnosis, self-hypnosis and osteopathy, can also help. In addition, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) treatment may also be considered to help relieve pain after discussion with your primary care physician.
