Incredibly painful, says Ellen DeGeneres, I had no idea that was a symptom

After 19 successful seasons, Ellen DeGeneres stepped away from her talk show, leaving fans reminiscing about her career’s high points and challenges. While navigating personal and professional transitions, the 64-year-old host recently shared a surprising health update that caught many off guard. Known for her vibrant energy and love of animal conservation, Ellen took a break from the spotlight after facing public scrutiny, spending time on projects like the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in Rwanda.

However, Ellen’s health took an unexpected turn, leading her to open up about a condition that left her with discomfort she had never anticipated. It was a revelation that few saw coming, and Ellen took to social media to share her surprising symptoms and recovery journey.

With the conclusion of Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show after 19 seasons, fans have been reflecting on both the highlights and controversies of her career. Recently, at 64, DeGeneres revealed she had suffered “excruciating” back pain after contracting COVID-19 during the peak of the pandemic.

Following accusations of a toxic work environment on her show, DeGeneres decided to step back from the spotlight to focus on her passion for animal conservation. She recently celebrated the completion of The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in Rwanda.

However, when DeGeneres contracted COVID-19 in December 2020, she took to social media to update her fans. In her post, she expressed surprise at experiencing severe back pain as one of her symptoms. At the time, DeGeneres mentioned she had been taking all the necessary precautions to avoid the virus.

A week after her diagnosis, DeGeneres reassured fans that she was feeling “100%” recovered. However, she shared an unexpected discovery about the virus: “What they don’t tell you is that you might experience severe back pain. I had no idea it was a symptom until I spoke with others.”

Given that DeGeneres contracted COVID-19 early in the pandemic, there was still limited knowledge about its symptoms compared to today. Initially, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did not list back pain as a symptom of COVID-19, though “muscle or body aches” were included in early descriptions of the virus’s effects.

Typical symptoms in the early stages of COVID-19 included fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, headache, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion, nausea, and diarrhea. However, as the pandemic evolved, reports of back pain and joint discomfort became more common, likely due to prolonged periods of inactivity during illness.

The National Health Service (NHS) later explained that pre-existing joint and muscle issues could be worsened by COVID-19. The lack of movement while sick, they noted, could result in stiffness, muscle weakness, and other discomforts. People affected by the virus often found themselves less active, contributing to joint pain and back problems.

In fact, as more people shifted to working from home during the pandemic, sedentary lifestyles exacerbated these issues. Fewer opportunities to move or socialize meant people spent more time sitting, which increased the prevalence of back pain. A study conducted in Malta found that 49% of participants reported back pain after the pandemic began, compared to 30% who had experienced it beforehand. Most of these individuals had never suffered from back pain before COVID-19.

It’s important to remember that back pain alone is not necessarily a symptom of COVID-19. Back pain can be caused by various factors, including flu, pneumonia, or lifestyle changes, such as increased sitting. Other signs to watch for, like congestion, coughing, fever, or muscle aches, could indicate other illnesses common in winter months.

Back pain related to illness might also present as shooting or stabbing sensations, pain that radiates down the legs, or a dull, persistent ache. These symptoms may be heightened by reduced physical activity, which was a common experience during the pandemic’s restrictions.

In summary, while back pain has increasingly been reported as a symptom of COVID-19, especially in the context of reduced activity, it is important to consider other causes and related symptoms.