Is neck pain a symptom of Covid-19?

Could Covid-19 be a literal pain in the neck?

While there are several well-known symptoms of Covid-19, including shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell, fever, a cough, and tiredness, neck ache may also be a sign of infection.

The neck is among the areas most commonly cited for muscle aches in Covid-19 patients .

One study from The Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery found as many as 62% of people with Covid-19 reported muscle pain and soreness, while an additional 10% to 15% experienced joint pain.

A more recent study in the International Journal of Current Pharmaceutical Review and Research found 10% to 15% of patients report muscle and body aches with the development of newer variants of the coronavirus.

The aches may persist long after infection.

A recent study in the Journal of Infection and Public Health reported muscle and body aches were the second most persistent symptoms after recovering from Covid-19. The most persistent symptom is fatigue.

The study surveyed 9,507 patients and sought to understand the “persistent symptoms in Covid-19 patients at least four weeks after the onset of infection, participants’ return to pre-Covid health status and associated risk factors”.

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