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

With Ellen DeGeneres’ long-running chat show coming to an end after 19 seasons, many fans have looked back at the highs and lows of her career. Recently, the 64-year-old revealed that she had experienced “excruciating” back pain after contracting COVID-19 during the pandemic.

DeGeneres made the decision to step away from the spotlight following allegations that her show had a toxic work environment. She shifted her focus to her passion for animal conservation, completing the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in Rwanda. However, during this time, she was diagnosed with COVID-19 and shared an update on social media, mentioning how surprised she was to have back pain as one of the symptoms.

When she contracted the virus in December 2020, DeGeneres confirmed that she had taken all necessary precautions. A week later, she shared that she was feeling much better and was “100%” recovered, but she mentioned something surprising about her experience with the virus that hadn’t been widely discussed by medical professionals.

On an episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on April 20, 2021, where DeGeneres appeared alongside guests Billie Joe Armstrong and musical acts Jimmie Allen & Brad Paisley, she opened up about her experience. She stated, “I feel fantastic. What they don’t tell you is that you will have severe back pain. I had no idea it was a symptom until I spoke with a few other people.” DeGeneres expressed her surprise, wondering, “Who would have thought? I’m having back pain.”

Since she contracted COVID-19 early on, there was less research on symptoms at the time. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) did not initially list back pain as a symptom of COVID-19, although it did acknowledge “muscle or bodily aches” as a common issue. Early symptoms of COVID-19 included fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, headaches, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.

The NHS later provided more insight into why people, including COVID-19 patients, might experience back pain and other joint or muscle-related issues. The NHS noted that many patients had pre-existing aches and pains, which could be aggravated by illness, especially since regular movement is beneficial for joint and muscle health. The lack of physical activity due to illness could lead to stiffness, weakness, and discomfort.

A study conducted in Malta involving 388 participants found that 30% of individuals reported experiencing chronic back pain before the pandemic, while 49% reported back pain following COVID-19’s onset. Many of these people had never experienced back pain prior to the pandemic.