Introduction
Everyone knows the typical symptoms of a cold: the nose runs, the throat scratches and the head hums. But it can also cause back pain. Unfortunately, this is not unusual and, given the high number of colds in Germany, it affects some patients.
The back pain is often located in the lower back area (so-called lumbar spine), or in the neck or shoulder area. Neck or shoulder pain is often accompanied by severe movement restrictions, in which case the head can hardly be moved to the affected side. If the head is not moved, the pain itself is usually bearable. If the back pain is located in the lumbar spine, it is often the other way around: the pain is often stronger at rest, but does not restrict movement as much.
Why do colds and back pain occur so often together?
Many physicians have actually found that back pain is more common with colds. Why this is so, is still not clear. However, there are various approaches that explain the phenomenon.
One thing is certain: when you are affected by a cold, your immune system is weakened and your general well-being is usually worse than usual. In addition, people with a cold usually move less, especially if you are so exhausted that you stay in bed or on the sofa during the day. From this the first theory can already be deduced: Little movement and bad mental condition are two risk factors for back pain.
Another hypothesis assumes that back pain and colds often go hand in hand because they can have the same trigger: stress. Stress causes the immune system to be permanently down-regulated, making the body more susceptible to infections. The fact that stress can also cause back pain is already common knowledge and is nothing new for the many people affected.
The causes
Besides the above mentioned theories why back pain and cold so often occur together, back pain in colds can have other causes. A common cause is the tension of the back muscles. This tension can be caused by coughing or sneezing because a number of muscles in the chest and back are involved in these movements.
If these muscles are overstrained, tension can occur here – either through a persistent or particularly severe cough. Such tensions can also occur when sleep is worse than usual – as it can also be the case with a cold – and as a result the nightly relaxation of the back muscles can no longer take place in a regular manner. If you have a particularly bad cold, general muscle pain can also occur.
These are often felt in the back and buttocks area and can in themselves lead to back pain. In rare cases, serious illnesses such as pneumonia or pleurisy can also cause back pain. Therefore, if you suffer from a cold with back pain, you should always consult a doctor in the following cases: 1. if you have a fever above 38. 5°C, shortness of breath or a strong feeling of illness 2. if the back pain is getting worse and worse or does not improve within a few days after the cold 3. if the symptoms of the cold do not improve within a week .
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