‘Incredibly painful,’ says Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen DeGeneres Reflects on COVID Experience
As her talk show ended after 19 seasons, Ellen DeGeneres
revisited personal challenges, including contracting COVID-19 in 2020.
She later revealed she suffered “excruciating” back pain, a symptom that caught her off guard.
A Surprising Symptom
Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in April 2021,
DeGeneres said, “I feel fantastic.
What they don’t tell you is that you will have
severe back pain.” She added, “I had no idea it was a symptom.”
Limited Early Awareness
At the time, back pain was not widely recognized as a COVID symptom.
Health agencies focused on fever, cough, fatigue, and
loss of taste or smell, though “muscle or bodily aches” were noted.
Why Back Pain Increased
Experts later linked pandemic-era back pain to illness-related
inactivity and more sedentary lifestyles.
DeGeneres’ experience echoed what many learned only after living through it.
