Long Covid pain

Yes ma'am. COVID affected my joint pain greatly, lungs & GERDS. I am praying for you right now. Bless you.

I am so sorry that you are in so much pain. I have had Covid twice now. Once in February of 2020 and just in September 2023. The first time it hit me was like a freight train; I was very sick for two months. The second time, not as bad. My son and I both had it and he got over it pretty quickly (of course he is almost 40 years younger and doesn't have any major health problems; that definitely was a major contributing factor).

Covid affected my memory, caused me to sweat profusely, my breathing often labored, reflux, I was always exhausted, pain all over but my neck and shoulder pain forced me to go for therapy, etc. The pain was at times unbearable throughout my body. During the first round of Covid I was sick for two months, and two months after that I started having a reaction to salt with a cough and congestion (then they found a nodule in my left lung). Then the neurological pain started and increased over time. I went to 14 specialists and two hospitals, and finally this past August, 2023, I was diagnosed with PMR (Polymyalsia Rheumatica). The last thing they checked me for was Rheumatoid Arthritis, because the pain was so bad. None of my joints were swollen, hence the PMR diagnosis. I have had MRI's, CatScans, a Pet Scan, bloodwork to last me a lifetime, etc. had to go through a little over 3 years of testing before I received my PMR diagnosis. One similarity that I noticed, is I still have pain on the lower part of my left rib (which is the rib that I broke over 59 years ago - I prevented my son from cracking his head open in the tub but broke my rib in the process).

Have you tried any inflammatory meds, supplements, patches, etc.? Have they diagnosed you yet for the pain (maybe arthritis)? Depending on how you want to approach this will dictate the route you take. I have been to holistic doctor, Specialists, and had to use lidocaine patches to ease pain in various parts of my body (mostly my hip and neck). My husband and his family swear by corticosteroid injections for their back, leg, etc. pain, but I'm not crazy about that type of treatment because I'm not big on needles. Have you seen a Rheumatologist? I have found a wonderful group of Rheumatologists in NJ where I live. I have seen basically one doctor up to this point from that group. When a patient has a problem, they meet as a group to brain storm in order to get a diagnosis (my case was extremely complicated). I have never been a "treat the symptoms" type of girl; I need a diagnosis to get the proper treatment. I was shocked when I actually received a diagnosis after 3 years.

I will be going finally to my appointment this Friday (after waiting for 6 1/2 months) to University of Pennsylvania, Perelman Center, in Philadelphia, to see a Specialist in their Rheumatology Department. I originally tried to get into Mayo Clinic, but their center was so overwhelmed they had to turn me away. If I find out about anything else that would help with reversing or at least easing the pain, I will let you know. Hopefully we can both benefit from this visit.

Physiotherapy is helping a lot for me. Also needling. They place a needle in the muscle area and twist it around. Also stretching my muscle and pulling at it. When covid hit me. It hit all my muscles and all the muscles I had damaged years ago. Special the one that is still sore. That one I had fallen down some stairs. I had two physiotherapist working on me and a specialist and my doctor. And after a year and a half the pain went away. We got the muscle strong enough to stay and I kept up the exercises to keep it that way for 25 years. Biking , walking. They said the pain would not come back at all. Will Covid it. And it hit good in that area. Now that’s the only area that needs fixing and that’s it. Right at the hip joint area. Makes me just so sad that a virus can damage muscles like that. And me. Unfortunately I am not patient at time. I want to heal now. Unfortunately I can’t take any pain medication. All I have tried makes me sick to my stomach. And I can’t do my work. So I just try to meditate and do breathing exercises. To help with the pain. Thank you for all the comments to help support me. And god bless to everyone who is in pain from this virus.

To all of you who are suffering from these horrible issues…
I feel so bad for all of you and hope that you all find a way to heal, and soon. My daughter and my sister both have long Covid and it is taking months to even start healing. Covid is so scary to me, not so much for the actual sickness but because of the remaining issues. My hear and prayers are with you all!

Cold laser treatments are perfect. I could not walk was reduced to crutches and my bedroom is up a flight of 12 stairs plus I am 72. My knees and legs hurt!!! 14 cold laser treatments to one knee and the other knee was so happy it stopped hurting. Legs getting strong again with lunges. Don’t walk, run to get the cold laser treatments.

I would go for cold laser therapy. I had 14 sessions. Could no longer walk either. My knees would not stop hurting also my legs. 14 sessions on the bad knee. The other responded by getting better on its own. My legs are also getting strong with lunges. 72 yrs old and a staircase to deal with. It works!!!!

Thank you everyone for all the information. I am going to see if my physiotherapist has cold laser treatment. That sounds interesting and seems to be helping everyone.

You may need to hook up with a good chiropractor to receive cold laser treatments. My chiro has a background in sports medicine also.

Hi StillAway,

I’ve had long term Covid for almost 3 months. I also have Fibromyalgia, Sjögrens (which is Autoimmune) and CFS. It’s definitely put me in a flare this whole time, hurting my muscle, joint, and nerve pain. I still have all the symptoms: nasal congestion, throat pain, headache, cough, and my lungs hurting like there’s an elephant on my chest making it feel like I’m breathing through a straw. I’ve been on antibiotics twice and both times felt like I took placebos. It’s too much!!

Did you or anyone else reading this have these symptoms long, or just the pain? I noticed everyone is talking about the pain. Is there anything that helped those symptoms? What is cold laser treatments and how does that work ?

Any suggestions would be helpful!

Thanx!

I am finally getting some relief. I have found that needling helps . The physiotherapist places a needle 🪡 into the muscle area and moves it around. Also he pulls at my legs from the ankle. Just a long pull. He raps a band around my ankle and gives it a good stretch. Then he does a stretch’s my back. Also I walk on the treadmill for a hour. It not fast. And rest. Get some good sleep and I also use A535 rub. It takes time. If you try to rush your healing process you can get a set back for a day or two. I found that out myself. Because I am getting frustrated over my pain and not being able to go the things I could do. Before I got Covid. But I am gradually getting better. And hot water bottles or a heating pad works too on the areas. But if I don’t move I find I get stiff. But I finally have had a few days not all in a row. One day here one day there. With no pain! Yahoo! So we think the needling is working. One strange think I have noticed. I don’t have my arthritis anymore. I could tell someone when it was going to rain or snow. Or when it would get cold. But it seems like sense I got Covid. The arthritis just disappeared. Also I have really bad idiopathic hyerinsomnia . On top of my sleep apnea. It’s where no matter how much sleep I get I will always be tired. But I have noticed that I am not tired in the morning anymore. Maybe it could of been the pain that kept me awake. It was actually nice to finish reading a book and not falling asleep reading. God bless and hope physiotherapy can help you too.