{"id":106025,"date":"2025-10-14T12:29:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T10:29:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.laboratoire-labrha.fr\/blog\/long-covid-and-rheumatic-pain-where-are-we-now-five-years-on\/"},"modified":"2025-10-14T12:51:53","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T10:51:53","slug":"long-covid-and-rheumatic-pain-where-are-we-now-five-years-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.laboratoire-labrha.fr\/en\/blog\/long-covid-and-rheumatic-pain-where-are-we-now-five-years-on\/","title":{"rendered":"Long Covid and rheumatic pain: where are we now, five years on?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Have you contracted COVID-19 and are wondering about persistent muscle and joint pain? Find out what the studies say, why it happens, and what to do about it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Context<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do studies show?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why ?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What should I do?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Support naturally<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Final word<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Context<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In some people who have had COVID-19, joint and muscle pain can persist for months or even years. This pain is often part of long COVID (post-COVID\/PASC) and can resemble classic rheumatic symptoms (fatigue, aches, stiffness, diffuse pain), sometimes to the point of meeting criteria similar to fibromyalgia syndrome. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n
\n

What do studies show?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Musculoskeletal pain is one of the most common symptoms of long Covid.<\/strong>Several reviews and studies show that new joint, muscle, and diffuse pain frequently occurs after an acute infection and can persist. These symptoms affect both hospitalized patients and those who have had a mild form of the disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Sometimes, these pains correspond to symptoms similar to fibromyalgia.<\/strong>Recent studies show that a significant percentage of patients develop chronic pain syndrome after COVID-19, which can meet the clinical criteria for fibromyalgia (widespread pain, marked fatigue, sleep disturbances, hypersensitivity). This does not mean that all of them become \u201cfibromyalgia sufferers\u201d for life, but the clinical overlap is real. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. COVID-19 may increase the risk of developing autoimmune diseases\/inflammatory rheumatism, but the absolute risk remains low.<\/strong>Meta-analyses and cohort studies show a statistically significant increase in the risk of developing autoimmune diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis) in the months following infection. However, in absolute terms, the increase remains moderate: the majority of people will not develop a new autoimmune disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Certain factors increase the risk of persistent symptoms.\n Women, a history of musculoskeletal disorders, initial severity of infection, comorbidities, and sometimes prolonged use of corticosteroids or certain immunosuppressive treatments are associated with a higher risk of long COVID and persistent pain.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Vaccination reduces the risk of severe forms of the disease and appears to reduce, at least partially, the risk of long Covid.\n The data show that vaccination significantly reduces hospitalizations and deaths; several studies also suggest a reduction in the risk of post-acute sequelae in vaccinated individuals, although the effect is not absolute.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n
\n

Why do these pains occur? (possible mechanisms) <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Persistent inflammation after infection that affects muscles and joints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Immune system dysfunction: transient or persistent autoimmune activation in some individuals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alteration of the nervous system (chronic pain linked to central sensitization, as in fibromyalgia).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indirect consequences: period of inactivity, muscle deconditioning, stress, and sleep disorders, which increase the perception of pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

These mechanisms can combine and vary from person to person.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n
\n

What should you do if you have rheumatic pain after Covid?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Consult your primary care physician or rheumatologist<\/strong> if the pain lasts longer > 8\u201312 weeks, worsens, or is accompanied by joint swelling, prolonged fever, weight loss, or functional limitation. These signs may require tests (blood tests, imaging) to check for inflammatory disease or other causes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Basic assessment: <\/strong>blood test (CRP, ESR, autoantibody screening if indicated), detailed clinical examination. Do not self-diagnose. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Multimodal approach:<\/p>\n\n\n\n