As Seen in San Francisco Chronicle: Back Pain & The Omicron Variant

Can low back pain be a new symptom of Covid-19? According to Spine Surgeon Dr. Thomas Schuler, Spine Surgeon and founder of Virginia Spine Institute, the answer is: Yes!

The new and quickly circulating Omicron variant is showing typical symptoms, including the usual scratchy throat, cough, and nasal congestion – but the most distinctive of these is lower back pain.

“Individuals experiencing unexpected or uncommon muscle aches or low back pain should monitor their health closely and recognize the symptoms as potentially tied to the omicron variant,” Dr. Schuler said.

As seen in Spine Health Foundation:

In December 2021, Dr. Thomas Schuler, Chairman of the National Spine Health Foundation’s Medical & Scientific Board, spoke with the San Francisco Chronicle about a new symptom unique to the Omicron COVID variant–back pain.

According to Schuler, “Individuals experiencing unexpected or uncommon muscle aches or low back pain should monitor their health closely and recognize the symptoms as potentially tied to the omicron variant.”

This symptom is just one of the listed potential symptoms of the Omicron variant. Others include a scratchy throat, nasal congestion, and a runny nose.

The National Spine Health Foundation is devoted to improving spinal health care through education, research, and patient advocacy. If you are experiencing low back pain, check out this article on yoga for low back pain.

You can access the full San Francisco Chronicle article referenced in this post HERE.