

People may mistake these symptoms for arthritis. These effects usually last a few days but can last up to several weeks. Factors that may contribute include:ĬOVID-19 vaccines can also cause temporary side effects that feel similar to those of arthritis or RA, such as: No studies have found a direct link between the vaccine and arthritis.Īrthritis can develop or flare up for many reasons. However, the report does not confirm that this happened. The authors of the case report suggest that the vaccine may have triggered an inflammatory response that led to the man’s symptoms. Although he was healthy before he received the COVID-19 vaccine, he began having symptoms of RA 4 weeks after his final vaccination. The report focuses on a 53-year-old man with a family history of RA. One of these conditions is rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, a 2022 case report notes that some people have developed new or worse symptoms of autoimmune conditions after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and does not cause arthritis in the vast majority of people. Based on this, they concluded that lingering inflammation is the cause.Ĭan the COVID-19 vaccine cause arthritis? They discovered a strong association between post-COVID-19 arthritis and inflammation but not between post-COVID-19 arthritis and autoimmunity. Autoimmunity is when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. To determine the cause of arthritis after COVID-19, the authors tested for markers of inflammation and autoimmunity in the participants. Smoking, older age, and preexisting joint pain had links to post-COVID-19 arthritis. The incidence of post-COVID-19 arthritis was 37%. They examined 100 people from Egypt who had recovered from COVID-19 several months prior. In a 2021 study, researchers tried to gauge how common this is. Other viral infections can do so as well.Īccording to a 2022 review, reactive arthritis may occur in genetically predisposed individuals 1–4 weeks after a variety of infections, including the respiratory virus SARS-CoV-2 and some infections of the digestive or urinary tract.

Yes, COVID-19 can trigger arthritis in some people.
