Preliminary outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic: a new chronic pain profile

Abstract

In summing up the preliminary results of the COVID-19 pandemic that has not yet ended, modern research pays much attention to the so-called post-COVID syndrome, which includes the long-term consequences of the disease. In English, symptoms are reported as long COVID, post-acute COVID, or chronic post-COVID syndrome and are described as symptoms of fatigue, respiratory disorders, memory, and sleep problems. Symptoms such as muscle pain and decreased endurance when performing habitual physical exertion are mentioned much less often. Meanwhile, among the complaints of those who have been ill, this symptom is present quite often, reducing the quality of life and tolerability of normal physical exertion. This review aimed to provide an in-depth study of a new type of the chronic myofascial pain syndrome after COVID-19, i.e., the frequency of occurrence, causes of the development, and pathophysiology of chronic pain syndrome associated with COVID-19 and manifested as fibromyalgia of various localizations. To answer the questions posed, the authors searched for information in four electronic databases. The key search terms used were COVID-19, long COVID, and signs and symptoms of pain syndrome. A review of current literature data has shown that close study and dynamic monitoring of patients who had COVID-19 can contribute to further deciphering the pathophysiological mechanisms of the development of its long-term consequences and provide answers to questions on the prevention and treatment of chronic pain syndrome in this patient cohort.