“sit at home”īetween the bread, wine, stress, and social isolation of the pandemic, many of my patients report feeling lethargic, unmotivated and mildly depressed. Recent research suggests that these inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha and interleukins) are also part of the “cytokine storms” that have been linked to an increased risk of Covid-19 complications.Ĭhange 3: “Stay at home” vs. Unfortunately, these adipocytes (fat cells) produce inflammatory cytokines, which can contribute to joint pain and damage. Why? Everyone is baking! Although breads, pasta, and white rice are wonderful comfort foods, they also contain compound sugars that cause an extended release of glucose, resulting in stubborn weight gain around the waist. Toilet paper hasn’t been the only item in high demand during the pandemic - baker’s yeast and flour are also flying off the shelves at unprecedented rates. But consuming too much alcohol on a regular basis triggers inflammation and impairs the body’s ability to repair itself, generate new cell growth, and regulate that inflammation - which directly contribute to joint pain and general inflammation throughout the entire body. It’s understandable - these are anxious and uncertain times, and sometimes a good glass of wine calms the mind and helps with falling asleep. Alcohol, especially a glass of low-sulfite red wine, may be a good source of a powerful antioxidant polyphenol called resveratrol.

Instead of drinking one glass of wine at the end of a long day, many of my patients with new or worsening joint pain have been drinking one to three glasses every night. If you’ve been experiencing new or unexplained aches and pains, ask yourself if the following “pandemic patterns” have recently emerged in your own life: When I ask my patients about their lifestyle choices during the pandemic, I often discover that a few specific habits have become part of their daily routines in isolation - increasing their risk of developing inflammatory joint pain. They don’t understand why their joint health has suddenly taken a turn for the worse.Īlthough these patients were not infected with Covid-19, their discomfort is undeniably connected to the virus and the stay-at-home ordinances that followed its arrival. These are new patients who had never experienced joint problems prior to the pandemic, but now find themselves waking up with stiff and aching joints, ankle and hand swelling, and overwhelming fatigue. Over the past few months, so many women have come into my clinic complaining of joint pain and swelling.

Pandemic by J.F. Bone