Post Covid-19 complications: Skin issues, join pain becoming increasingly common, say experts

The l of post-Covid complications seems to be only increasing with doctors now saying that there has also been an increase in skin conditions like herpes, and joint pains in patients

What is causing joint issues?
There is about four-five per cent increase in arthritis cases post Covid-19 infection, said Dr Narendra Vaidya, joint replacement surgeon and managing director, Lokmanya Hospital Pune.
“During Covid, inflammatory molecules break muscle protein and decrease its synthesis causing muscle fatigue; this also damages cartilage, causing arthritis. Arthritis can also arise as sequele of steroid and antiviral drugs used to treat Covid-19. Musculoskeletal symptoms like stiffness of joints, muscle pain are commonly seen in post-Covid patients along with decreased muscle strength. Many people complain of joint and muscle pain, and have also come with new onset of autoimmune arthritis,” he said.

According to Dr Vaidya, patients complain of joint pain or arthralgia, muscle pain or myalgia, extreme fatigue, reactive arthritis, and vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels). “Joint pain can be temporary or continue for months,” he said.
One more reason to develop joint pain could be the overdose of steroids or a faster. This might develop osteonecrosis of bones, leading to faster degeneration and joint pains, said Dr Richa Kulkarni, chief consulting physiotherap, KINESIS – Sports Rehab and Physiotherapy Clinic, Pune.
How to prevent and treat the condition?
People should seek good rehabilitative care, exercise every day, maintain good posture, and follow a healthy diet to manage joint and muscle pain, said Dr Vaidya.
What are the skin conditions?
Many people are experiencing herpes after Covid (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)
Covid has induced many autoimmune and dormant infections in people with low immunity, such as herpes and warts. “Treatment with monoclonal anti–TNF alpha antibodies can cause herpes. Since the beginning of the pandemic, many people reported herpes, joint pain, and even warts. These problems are commonly seen in females when compared to males. People come with complaints like skin rash, redness, shingles around eyes nose, lips. These infections are common among senior citizens, and pregnant women. Herpes and other skin complications are getting triggered in patients who have a previous hory. Do not ignore any signs like rashes, redness of the skin, and patches, seek immediate medical attention,” said Dr Vishwajeet Chavan, orthopedic surgeon, Apollo Spectra Pune.
Dr Saurabh Shah, dermatolog at Bhatia Hospital Mumbai has been seeing about one case of herpes zoster (covid related) every week. “The reason could be low immunity since  Covid attacks the immune system of the body. Herpes Zoster (also known as shingles) virus (Varicella Zoster virus) is present in the body of almost every individual. When our immunity gets compromised or jeopardised, herpes zoster, which lies dormant in the body (dorsal nerve root ganglion), becomes active and flares up. Usually this skin infection is seen in patients with poorly controlled diabetes, patients with chronic renal failure, patients on chemotherapy, post medical and surgical illness and other diseases that compromise our immunity,” he explained.
There is also an uncanny increase in the incidence of urticaria in a lot of patients, said Dr Shah. “These rashes appear as itchy, red, evanescent raised areas on most parts of the body, usually after an infection (post-Covid). These invariably disappear in a few hours,” Dr Shah told indianexpress.com.
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