Pain and COVID-19

This chapter presents the case of a woman who complains of persistent pain in the four limbs that started after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge due to COVID-19 infection. She fulfills criteria for Guillain–Barré syndrome, but her clinical picture may have been worsened by ICU stay. This case shows that Guillain–Barré syndrome is possible after COVID-19 and may induce neuropathic pain. Other potential causes of pain after COVID-19 mainly include post-ICU neuromuscular disorders for severe cases and long COVID syndrome. These consist of a constellation of symptoms, including headache or widespread pain, fatigue, respiratory or cardiovascular problems, and sleep disorders. These symptoms, which share similarities with other post-infectious disorders, might result from residual damage from acute infection, persistent immune activation, psychological factors, or unmasking of prior comorbidities.