Key takeaways:
Ozempic is an injectable medication that’s FDA-approved to treat Type 2 diabetes. It can be used off-label to treat other medical conditions, like obesity.
Ozempic side effects commonly include nausea and diarrhea. Some people report joint and muscle pain while taking Ozempic.
Right now, there’s no evidence that Ozempic causes joint or muscle pain. These symptoms may be due to something else, like underlying medical conditions.
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Ozempic (semaglutide) is an injectable medication that belongs to a family of medications called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. This means it mimics natural GLP-1’s effects on your body. These effects include suppressing the appetite centers in your brain and acting on your gut to slow down the movement of food.
These medicines also help you make more insulin. Because insulin controls your blood sugar, medications like Ozempic are helpful in treating diabetes.
Ozempic is FDA-approved for Type 2 diabetes and is sometimes used off-label to treat obesity. While it’s a powerful treatment, Ozempic does cause side effects. The most common Ozempic side effects include nausea, diarrhea, and stomach pain.
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But there are increasing reports of other side effects, like headaches and hair loss. And another growing trend: Ozempic-related joint and muscle pain.
It can be hard to determine if these body aches are caused by Ozempic. Here’s what the research shows about Ozempic and joint and muscle pain — and what you should do if you’re experiencing these symptoms.
Is joint pain a side effect of Ozempic?
Probably not.
In clinical trials, people taking Ozempic reported a range of gut-related side effects. But there weren’t any reports of joint pain. There was one report of arthritis triggered by another type of GLP-1 agonist called liraglutide (Victoza). But there haven’t been any reports of Ozempic-related arthritis.
In fact, there’s evidence that taking Ozempic might actually improve joint pain. In lab studies, GLP-1 agonists showed anti-inflammatory properties. Researchers think this may help people with osteoarthritis. A well-studied side effect of Ozempic is weight loss. And research shows that weight loss can improve joint pain from arthritis.
What can cause joint pain when you take Ozempic?
Some people still report joint pain after taking Ozempic. So, if it’s not the cause, why does this happen? Here are a few possible sources.
Autoimmune disorders
Some people are more likely to develop autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. These conditions affect your joints, but they aren’t caused by Ozempic. A person may have their first arthritis flare while taking Ozempic. But the timing is a coincidence. Because of this, they may think the medication caused it when it’s really a new medical condition popping up.
See a healthcare professional right away if you’re experiencing new joint pain, swelling, or redness. These can be signs of a new arthritis condition.
Medications
Joint pain and inflammation are known side effects of many other medications, including:
Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors: These are older diabetes medications and they even include an FDA warning about joint pain.
Statins: These are medications used to treat high cholesterol.
Bisphosphonates: These are medications used to treat osteoporosis.
Premarin: This is an estrogen medication that treats symptoms of menopause.
Carvedilol: This is a medication used to treat high blood pressure.
Joint pain from these medicines can develop slowly over time. So even if you’ve been taking them for a while, they might still be the reason you’re experiencing joint pain.
Can Ozempic cause muscle pain?
Probably not.
In clinical trials, people didn’t report muscle pain as a side effect. But, like joint pain, there might be other explanations for this pain, like medications or new medical conditions. Here are some other possible reasons for muscle pain while taking Ozempic.
Injection-site pain
Ozempic is a weekly injectable medication. You may experience bruising or swelling where you inject the medication, especially if you inject it in the same spot every time. The needle goes under your skin but it doesn’t reach the muscle. But swelling in the tissues above the muscle can still lead to muscle soreness.
Ozempic injections shouldn’t be very painful. To prevent Ozempic injection-site pain, don’t inject yourself in the same spot twice in a row. You can rotate between your stomach, thigh, and upper arm.
Dehydration
Ozempic suppresses (lowers) your appetite. And when you don’t feel like eating, you’ll be less likely to drink. If you’re not drinking enough fluids throughout the day, you can become dehydrated over time. Dehydration can cause painful muscle cramps and soreness.
If you’re taking Ozempic, set a daily fluid goal to help drink enough throughout the day.
Muscle strain
Ozempic works best if it’s used along with other treatments, including diet changes and exercise. If you’ve recently started a new exercise routine, your sore muscles may be related to exercise.
How can you manage joint or muscle pain while on Ozempic?
If you develop joint or muscle pain while taking Ozempic, talk with your healthcare team. Don’t wait to see if the symptoms go away on their own. You may need a physical exam or other tests to look for other causes of muscle and joint pain.
Remember, don’t stop taking Ozempic or any of your other medications until you speak to your healthcare team.
The best treatment for your pain depends on what’s causing it. If you’re experiencing a new autoimmune condition, you may need medication to treat that condition. You might also need a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) to help manage your pain.
If another medication is causing the pain, a healthcare professional may suggest changing your medication or lowering your dose. In many cases, you can help mild joint or muscle pain go away with simple treatments like:
Rest
Elevating the painful areas
If injection-site pain is to blame, alternating injection sites and using an ice pack can help make your pain better.
Frequently asked questions
Ozempic is a subcutaneous injection. This means it should go through your skin and into the fat under your skin. Intramuscular injections use a longer needle to get past several layers of skin and fat and into your muscle. Because Ozempic uses a shorter needle, it’s unlikely to reach your muscle.
Back pain isn’t a documented side effect of Ozempic. But Ozempic can cause digestive symptoms like gas and bloating. These can put pressure on your stomach and lower back. Back pain may also happen if you recently started a new workout routine.
Yes, there’s evidence that Ozempic can cause muscle loss. Most of the weight loss that people experience from Ozempic comes from losing body fat. But some studies have shown there can be loss of muscle too. Changes in diet and exercise can help reduce muscle loss.
Taking Ozempic probably doesn’t directly cause bone loss. But rapid weight loss can lead to weaker bones. Getting regular exercise while taking Ozempic can help maintain bone strength.
Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers like acetaminophen and ibuprofen are safe to take with Ozempic. But if you find yourself reaching for pain relievers more often than usual, talk to a healthcare professional. They can determine if your muscle or joint pain is due to Ozempic or from some other cause.
Ozempic is a subcutaneous injection. This means it should go through your skin and into the fat under your skin. Intramuscular injections use a longer needle to get past several layers of skin and fat and into your muscle. Because Ozempic uses a shorter needle, it’s unlikely to reach your muscle.
Back pain isn’t a documented side effect of Ozempic. But Ozempic can cause digestive symptoms like gas and bloating. These can put pressure on your stomach and lower back. Back pain may also happen if you recently started a new workout routine.
Yes, there’s evidence that Ozempic can cause muscle loss. Most of the weight loss that people experience from Ozempic comes from losing body fat. But some studies have shown there can be loss of muscle too. Changes in diet and exercise can help reduce muscle loss.
Taking Ozempic probably doesn’t directly cause bone loss. But rapid weight loss can lead to weaker bones. Getting regular exercise while taking Ozempic can help maintain bone strength.
Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers like acetaminophen and ibuprofen are safe to take with Ozempic. But if you find yourself reaching for pain relievers more often than usual, talk to a healthcare professional. They can determine if your muscle or joint pain is due to Ozempic or from some other cause.
The bottom line
Joint and muscle pain aren’t reported Ozempic side effects. But some people do have these symptoms while taking Ozempic. This pain might be due to another cause, like a new medical condition, another medication, or injection-site pain. If you’re experiencing muscle or joint pain while taking Ozempic, talk to your healthcare team so you can figure out what’s causing your pain and find the right treatment.
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References
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BetterHealth Channel. (2013). Muscle cramp.
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Daniilopoulou, I., et al. (2022). The impact of GLP1 agonists on bone metabolism: A systematic review. Medicina (Kaunas).
FDA Drug Safety and Availability. (2015). FDA drug safety communication: FDA warns that DPP-4 inhibitors for type 2 diabetes may cause severe joint pain. U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Jensen, S. B. K., et al. (2024). Bone health after exercise alone, GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment, or combination treatment a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial. JAMA.
Liu, H., et al. (2025). Weight loss induced bone loss: Mechanism of action and clinical applications. Bone Research.
Messier, S. P., et al. (2019). The effects of intensive dietary weight loss and exercise on gait in overweight and obese adults with knee osteoarthritis. The intensive diet and exercise for arthritis (IDEA) trial. Journal of Biomechanics.
Meurot, C., et al. (2022). Targeting the GLP-1/GLP-1R axis to treat osteoarthritis: A new opportunity? Journal of Orthopaedic Translation.
Neeland, I. J., et al. (2024). Changes in lean body mass with glucagon-like peptide-1-based therapies and mitigation strategies. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
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