Can a Cold Cause Back Pain? Treatment & What to Do

Key takeaways:

• Back pain can sometimes accompany a cold due to inflammation, muscle strain, or body-wide effects of the virus.
• Addressing the underlying cold while managing your back pain by using at-home remedies will often provide relief.
• Symptoms that don’t go away or are severe may be a sign that you need medical attention.

Colds usually mean several days of sneezing, a runny nose, congestion, and general discomfort, but colds can also cause back pain. For most people, this unexpected combination raises questions about whether the two symptoms could be related. Back pain during a cold can result from muscle strain caused by coughing, inflammation, or your body’s overall response to illness.

Understanding the connection between these symptoms is important so you can get relief. You should also know when you should get medical advice. Let’s explore the relationship between colds and back pain, common symptoms, potential causes, effective at-home remedies you can use, and when it’s time to consult your doctor.

Relationship between a cold and back pain

A cold is a highly contagious viral infection that affects the upper respiratory tract, including the nose and throat. While dozens of different viruses can cause a cold, rhinoviruses are the most common culprits.

While a cold is usually known for causing respiratory symptoms like congestion, sneezing, runny nose, and sore throat, a cold can sometimes be linked to back pain.

This connection is usually due to one or a combination of three reasons:

1. Inflammatory response: Colds trigger your immune system to release inflammatory molecules as a response to the virus, which in turn can affect your muscles and joints, leading to soreness or stiffness in your back.
2. Muscle strain: Frequent coughing or sneezing during a cold can strain your back muscles, particularly in your lower and middle back.
3. Systemic effects of illness: A cold often leaves your body fatigued and achy. This can make existing back pain more noticeable by triggering discomfort in vulnerable areas.

Understanding how these three factors interact can help you manage your symptoms more effectively and get relief.

Symptoms associated With a cold and back pain

If you have a cold along with back pain, you may experience the following symptoms:

Cold symptoms:

• Respiratory issues: A runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, and a sore throat are typical cold symptoms.
• General discomfort: Along with respiratory symptoms, you are likely to have a headache, fatigue, and body aches.
• Fever and chills: Sometimes, a low-grade fever and chills may accompany a cold.

Back pain symptoms:

• Localized pain: Discomfort can occur in your lower, middle, or upper back, depending on it the pain is from the strain of coughing or inflammation from the cold itself.
• Stiffness: You may have difficulty bending or twisting your back.
• Muscle spasms: Painful Involuntary tightening of your back muscles can occur, especially after frequent coughing or sneezing.

If these symptoms appear together, it’s best to manage them as a whole for the most effective relief. Read our guide on types of back pain for more.

Other conditions that may cause both symptoms

While a cold and back pain may be linked, certain other conditions can imitate these symptoms. Below are common causes:

Flu

The influenza virus causes the flu, while the common cold is caused by many different viruses.

Flu symptoms usually come on quite suddenly and are typically more severe and intense than those of a cold and often last longer. A cold usually has a more gradual onset. The flu can cause widespread body aches, including back pain, due to your immune system's heightened response.

Fever, chills, and respiratory symptoms are typically more severe than with a cold. Some people with the flu will have diarrhea and vomiting, but this is more common in children than in adults.

COVID-19

COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, can be hard to tell from the flu, as they have many of the same symptoms.

Like colds and flu, symptoms include respiratory issues, back pain, and general discomfort. Back pain associated with COVID-19 can often be linked to your body's inflammatory response to the infection. This inflammation can impact your muscles and joints and cause pain in areas such as your back, even if you have had no direct injury.

As with colds and flu, coughing, a common symptom of COVID-19, can strain your back muscles, leading to pain and discomfort. In severe cases, the virus can lead to complications such as pneumonia, which may also contribute to symptoms of back pain and respiratory distress.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a viral, bacterial, or fungal infection in one or both of your lungs.

This lung infection often causes sharp or radiating back pain alongside cold-like symptoms such as fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. Pneumonia is a much more serious condition than a cold and requires medical care.

Kidney infection

Pain in your lower back combined with a fever, nausea, or urinary symptoms could mean you have a kidney infection rather than a simple cold.

Prompt treatment with antibiotics is usually necessary. Women and individuals assigned female at birth (AFAB) are apt to get kidney infections much more often than men due to anatomical differences.

Muscle strain or injury

Excessive coughing from a cold can strain the muscles supporting your back, especially if you have existing muscle weakness or you have had a previous back injury.

How to get relief from a cold and back pain at home

Most colds with accompanying back pain can be managed at home. The following remedies may help provide relief from your discomfort:

Rest and hydration

Giving your body time to heal is key. Drinking plenty of fluids helps thin mucus and eases your cold symptoms.

Over-the-counter pain relievers

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen (such as brand name Motrin) or naproxen (such as brand name Aleve) can reduce inflammation and help alleviate your back pain. Be sure to follow the label instructions and take as directed.

Heat or cold therapy

Applying a heating pad to your back can relax tense muscles, while an ice pack may help reduce swelling or soreness.

When you should see a doctor about a cold and back pain

Though most cases of a cold and back pain resolve on their own, there are times when you should get medical advice:

You should see a doctor if:

• Your back pain lasts for more than a week.
• Your symptoms interfere with your daily activities or your sleep.
• Your cold symptoms worsen or do not improve after 10 days.

You should go to the emergency room if:

• You experience difficulty breathing or have chest pain.
• You have a high fever that won’t come down despite over-the-counter medications.
• Your back pain is severe, and you are having numbness or weakness in your legs.

Questions to ask your doctor about a cold and back pain

When consulting your healthcare provider, consider asking the following questions:

• Could my back pain be related to a more serious condition, such as pneumonia or a kidney infection?
• Are there any specific exercises or stretches I can do to relieve my back pain while I am recovering from a cold?
• Should I take any additional medications to help manage my symptoms?
• How can I prevent my back from hurting when I get a cold in the future?

How a doctor can help treat a cold and back pain

Your doctor can offer targeted treatments based on the underlying cause of your symptoms:

Prescription medications

If your back pain is caused by severe inflammation or muscle spasms, your doctor may prescribe stronger anti-inflammatory drugs or muscle relaxants.

Diagnostic tests

If your symptoms are not getting better or they are worsening, diagnostic tests like X-rays or blood work can help rule out serious conditions such as pneumonia or kidney infections.

Physical therapy

For lingering back pain, physical therapy can strengthen your muscles and improve posture, reducing the risk of future back discomfort.

Read our full guide on treating back pain for more.

Frequently asked questions: cold and back pain

What if you’re experiencing lower back pain and cold symptoms?

Lower back pain during a cold is often due to muscle strain from coughing or sneezing. Gentle stretching and proper rest can help. Over-the-counter pain relievers can be taken to help with pain.

What if you’re experiencing upper back pain and cold symptoms?

Upper back pain can occur if coughing causes tension in your shoulder and neck muscles. Applying a heating pad to the affected area may help to calm the discomfort. Over-the-counter pain relievers are often useful in controlling pain.

What if you have cold symptoms, back pain, and the chills?

If you have chills with back pain and a cold, you may have a fever. Monitor your temperature and stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids. See your physician if chills continue, especially if you have a fever.

Managing your symptoms

Dealing with a cold and back pain at the same time can be uncomfortable. Fortunately, these symptoms are often manageable with at-home treatments. By recognizing when your symptoms might indicate a more serious condition, you can get effective treatment and prevent complications.

General Medicine follows a strict editorial process, including using real experts to write our articles, vetted primary sources, fact-checking, a secondary medical review, and updates as necessary. This article was medically reviewed and fact checked by Dr. Pallabi Sanyal-Dey, MD.

Sources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Flu Symptoms & Complications." CDC, www.cdc.gov/flu/signs-symptoms/index.html. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.

"Is It COVID-19 or the Flu?" FamilyDoctor.org, 12 Oct. 2023, https://familydoctor.org/is-it-covid-19-or-the-flu/. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.

"Kidney Infection." FamilyDoctor.org, American Academy of Family Physicians, https://familydoctor.org/condition/kidney-infection/. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.

"Pneumonia." MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 10 Oct. 2023, https://medlineplus.gov/pneumonia.html. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.

StatPearls. "Pneumonia." StatPearls [Internet], U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2024, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532961/. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.