Flare up management
It is normal for your pain levels to go up and down, even as you are getting better. These are called flare ups”. It can be helpful to have a “FLARE UP” plan in place to help you stay in control of your pain, and get you through these times.
By having a flare up plan in place, you are giving yourself the best chance of controlling your symptoms.
You may have noticed that certain situations or activities which may result in a flare up of your pain, an example may be being over active, or it may be social activities or emotions such as stress or low mood. Sometimes these things cannot be avoided, however if we recognise the things that aggravate our symptoms, we can plan strategies to help manage this.
For example, if you have a large fence to paint and you would normally be able to do this in a day, you would plan the job ahead, splitting it into manageable chunks.
Recognising changes in your pain, mood, and irritability may allow you to be aware of a flare up happening as well as situations which may cause this. Often patients tell us that they may notice other signs first before a rise in their pain intensity such as feeling stressed and an awareness of tension across their shoulders or neck.
Flare Up Plan
By recognising the factors which aggravate your pain, you can plan in advance the tools and strategies to help you manage these. You may find it helpful to write these down.
Examples of strategies to help may include:-
- Medication
- Managing activity (Remember the fence example on the previous page)
- Short periods of rest
- Meditation/Relaxation
- Ask for help (Family, friends, work)
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