Fibromyalgia Flares

January 27, 2015June 10, 2016 Brandi 21 Comments chronic pain, fibromyalgia, fibromyalgia flares, fibromyalgia medicine, fibromyalgia treatments

Okay. So you’re having a flare. What does that mean? What can you expect? How long does it last? How can you explain this term to those that do not have fibromyalgia, chronic pain, or other chronic illness so that they can understand and help during those times? Better yet, how do I avoid fibromyalgia flares?

What are fibromyalgia flares?

Having a fibromyalgia flare means you are experiencing an increase of pain or symptoms. Just as fibromyalgia varies from person to person, so do flares. These flares often times leave the person without energy and not able to enjoy their normal daily activities.

What is a #fibromyalgia #flare? #fibroflare Click To Tweet

For me, having a flare means elevated or heightened:

pain levels
abdominal pains
sensory sensitivities
headaches
muscle knots

I sometimes also experience heightened anxiety or bouts of depression.

How long do flares last?

Again, the length of flares vary from person to person. Fibromyalgia flares can last a few hours, a few days, or a few weeks. I’ve had flares last as long as three months and recently experienced an anxiety attack that lasted days.

What causes a flare?

There are many triggers for a flare.

Triggers could be:

stress
something you’ve eaten
the weather

There are other triggers for flares, but these are the most common ones.

What treatments are there for flares?

There isn’t one treatment for a flare. A flare is an elevation of symptoms, so the treatment depends on what is flaring.

Treatment can be:

medication
yoga, or deep breathing exercises
massage
stress relief techniques
lying on the couch (my preference)

For me, if it is my stomach, I drink plenty of water along with ginger tea such as Jammin’ Lemon Ginger. If it is a headache, I drink Tension Tamer tea or Lemon Zinger tea. For an overall increase in pain levels, I drink Honey Vanilla Chamomile tea.

There are ways to avoid flares and avoid those triggers. One way to avoid flares is by avoiding certain foods. Find foods to to avoid on my Fibromyalgia Foods board on Pinterest.

Follow Being Fibro Mom’s board Fibromyalgia Foods on Pinterest.

Other ways to decrease stress and lessen the chance of experiencing fibromyalgia flares:

How to avoid #fibromyalgia #flares. #fibroflares Click To Tweet

Why you should set boundaries - How to do it and NOT feel guilty! #sayno #settingboundaries #fibromyalgia #chronicpain — photo credit: image created by Being Fibro Mom using a free image from Google images

How to worry less and live more with FREE inspirational printables #prayer #inspirational #fibromyalgia #chronicpain — photo credit: image created by Being Fibro Mom using a free image from Google images

How to have a positive outlook with a chronic illness #chronicillness #chronicpain #fibromyalgia — photo credit: image created by Brandi, Being Fibro Mom

Get new articles in your inbox!

Subscribe to get our latest content by email.

21 thoughts on “Fibromyalgia Flares”

Marvelyne
January 27, 2015 at 9:18 am

thanks for sharing so honestly about this. I love the tips and insights and triggers to watch out for! Reply
- Brandi Clevinger
  January 27, 2015 at 9:37 am
  
  Thank you! Knowing the triggers is half the battle! Reply
Pingback: Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
Pingback: Inspire Me Mondays - 18 Plus a Giveaway! - Being Fibro Mom
Brittany at Equipping Godly Women
February 3, 2015 at 8:23 am

Wow! I had no idea they could last that long! Thanks for sharing! Reply
- Brandi Clevinger
  February 3, 2015 at 8:43 am
  
  I didn't either until I experienced it. It gets pretty tough, so I'm glad I have my faith to lean on for support. Reply
Pingback: How Your Furry Friend Can Help With Chronic Illness
Corinne
February 28, 2015 at 5:15 am

I have a friend with fibromyalgia and one of the most frustrating part of the disease is the lack of information about the disease. It varies so widely from one patient to another and can be difficult to diagnose and treat. This post is a wonderful resource not only for those with the condition, but to inform others. Thank you for sharing it at the This Is How We Roll Thursday party. Reply
- Brandi Clevinger
  February 28, 2015 at 9:21 am
  
  Yes, it is a frustrating disease. There are so many aspects to it and can mimic other diseases. I'm glad you are reading about fibromyalgia to help your friend. One of my friends did that so she could understand me better and it meant the world to me! Thank you for supporting your friends and others with fibromyalgia! Reply
Pingback: My Fibro Journal - February 27, 2015
Pingback: Fibromyalgia and Household Chores
Pingback: Natural Treatment Regiment for Chronic Pain
Pingback: Inspire Me Monday - 28
GGMandy
June 10, 2016 at 1:04 pm

Some very good advice. Thanks for featuring my posts. Wondering if you might like to guest write on my blog sometime? Reply
narelle cameron
October 7, 2016 at 6:01 am

Gosh i feel horrible like a truck just ran over me Reply
- BrandiPost author
  October 12, 2016 at 4:53 pm
  
  Oh, no! I hope you are feeling better now! The impending storm of Hurricane Matthew and the days after had me in a terrible flare. I'm just now starting to get back to 'normal'. Gentle hugs, friend! Reply
Pingback: Not all Flare-ups are the Same - Living Creatively with Fibro
Pingback: Dreaded Jeans – My Fibro Journal
Pingback: Support – My Fibro Journal
Pingback: Taking Back Control – My Fibro Journal
Pingback: Rain, Rain, Go Away – My Fibro Journal

Get new articles in your inbox!

Brandi

21 thoughts on “Fibromyalgia Flares”

Leave a Reply Cancel reply