Fibromyalgia flares—those unpredictable waves of intensified pain, fatigue, and brain fog—can disrupt even the most carefully managed routines, leaving those affected searching for relief and understanding.
Across the blogosphere, fibro bloggers share their hard-won wisdom, offering a blend of practical strategies, emotional support, and personal insights to help others navigate these challenging episodes.
From pacing techniques to dietary tweaks and mental health tools, their voices provide a beacon of hope and solidarity for the fibromyalgia community, showing ways to cope and thrive despite the condition’s ups and downs.
Having a fibromyalgia flare means you are experiencing an increase in pain or symptoms. Just as fibromyalgia varies from person to person, so do flares. These flares often leave the person without energy and unable to enjoy their normal daily activities. ~ Fibro Mom, Fibro Flares.
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When I get a flare up of Fibromyalgia I get: increased pain in most of my joints (notice the word increased), increased pain in my calf muscles, a headache - usually mild and in the temples and an electric feeling that I feel in my lower limbs and hands. ~ Lee Good, Fibro Files.
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Am I depressed or in a flare? Am I flaring or suffering from depression? How, after all these years, damn near two decades of living with these conditions, can I not know the difference? A flare comes with insomnia and pain. Depression comes with a situational helplessness it doesn't seem will ever alleviate.~ Leah, Chronicles of F.I.B.R.O.
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New parts of body are joining in the fun of punishing my body. The brain is having a hard time concentrating-for those of you who know.it actually feels like its racing in your head. ~ Melissa, Fibro Warriors - Living Life.
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I have had about four main flare-ups in the last twelve months that have needed me to take time off work and most of them have been no more than a week long. They do seem to all start in the same way with a sensation on my skin. The only way I can describe this is it feels like I am having a nettle rubbed all over me. It is both stingy and excruciatingly distracting and annoying. ~ Susan, Not all Flare-ups are the same.
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I’d like to note that it’s rarely one thing.
We typically have some sort of “incident” that happens, but when we really think about it, we can see how a set of circumstances combined to cause the flare. ~ Sue, Top 9 Reasons for a Fibro Flare.
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I am trying to keep my chin up and keep going, I think sometimes pain and fatigue can stop us in our tracks then we find our ways of coping; So when we flare it can be difficult to find our feet again... ~ Beverley, Blooming Mindfulness
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When a flare up happens the first thing most with Fibro think to themselves is ‘what did I do?’, the answer is invariably ‘nothing different’. You stick to your routine, do all the self-management recommendations, and yet here you are. This creates the conundrum for life with Fibro, you are never in control of your symptoms or what makes it worse, you never know if you will be able to function, and what you might be able to commit to. ~ Dale, And Here Comes a Flare Up
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TIPS FOR WHEN YOU ARE IN A FIBRO FLARE
When you learn to stop fighting the flares you will find they move on much faster. It seems by default we want to fight the flare. We want to keep working and doing and going. We feel like we have all these things that we need to do and that just pushing through will get it done. But, fighting/pushing through the flare takes so much more energy. The better answer is to relax and give yourself permission to just rest. Focus on recovering and you’ll recover faster. This way you can return to the things you need to do and have the energy to do them with full focus. ~ Julie, 5 tips for getting through a Fibro Flare.
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Do something that makes you happy. You need to find something that makes you happy and will help you to feel mentally better even if you aren’t feeling good physically. This will look different for everyone, but it’s important to find something that works for you. ~ Chronic Mom, How to survive a chronic illness flare up.
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Pacing... It helps me manage my flare ups... Pacing is a term used in the chronic illness community meaning to pace your activities and time. Basically taking breaks, doing things slower than you normally would and just being more aware of what overdoing it means each day. ~ Bethan, Tips on Pacing.
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My life got a lot easier once I bought myself a zero gravity chair from Walmart (think: reclining lawn chair). I unfold it and put it wherever Chloe is playing, or by her crib while she falls asleep. It’s pretty light and easy to drag around folded up to wherever I need it. The best part for me is that my back is comfortable in it. Usually I’m alert while I’m in it (unless it’s her nap time), so I can respond and interact with her but from a lying down position. ~ Katarina, Mom with Fibro: How I'm pacing while looking after a toddler.
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Everyone experiences fibromyalgia and flares differently. Some are sidelined in bed. Personally, I am not good at slowing down or resting, but years of experience has taught me when it is time to just stop so as not to prolong the episode, and practice some real self-care, along with medication as needed. ~ Cynthia, What is a Fibromyalgia Flare?
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Using heat and cold can be a great way to relieve pain and provide some comfort at home. You can use hot water bottles, microwavable wheat packs and heating pads. Heat can also be very comforting and even help you to drift off to sleep at night. ~ Caz, 6 Ideas for Natural Pain Relief.
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People might not tell you how debilitating Fibromyalgia can be but it can put your life on halt. The most important message I can share is to have a team of doctors and a therapist that supports your journey. ~ Melinda, Fibromyalgia Thoughts
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Pain patches – I use them all the time. I use them mostly on my shoulders, neck, and back. They have enough topical pain medication in them to assist with tight muscles and fascia issues. The main ingredient in these patches is sodium diclofenac. ~ Carrie, My Fibromyalgia Flare Survival Kit.
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During times of intense flare-ups catching some zzz’s is an escape. I don’t have to suffer anymore. When I am asleep I don’t have to be in pain, or feel poorly, and my body doesn’t have to battle to keep going – it can rest. ~ Sarah, Why Sleep is So Important, My Reason
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Stress can trigger or worsen flares. Try mindfulness, meditation, or deep-breathing exercises to calm your nervous system. Also stay hydrated because dehydration can worsen fatigue and pain ~ Lee
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Stay Positive: Focus on the things you can control and find gratitude in the present moment. Cultivate a positive mindset by practicing gratitude journaling and reframing negative thoughts into more empowering ones. ~Thom, Conquer Chronic Pain
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The gentle heat seems to help switch your body from that heightened stress response into a more relaxed state. As the body is able to transfer out of stress response into states of relaxation, incidents of pain in the musculoskeletal system are reduced. ~ Sarah, The One Thing That Really Helps on My Worst Fibro Days – My Infra Red Sauna Blanket
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When you are in a flare, you must view food differently. If you know that you have an intolerance to certain foods, now is not the time to relent and eat them.
When you are in a flare you are looking to reduce inflammation, not add to it. Be very careful about what you eat and choose foods that will nourish your body and help it to heal. ~ Donna, How to Handle a Fibromyalgia Flare Up.
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Important Notes:
- Fibromyalgia symptoms vary widely, so what works for one person may not work for another. Experiment cautiously and consult your healthcare provider before trying new treatments.
- If you’re experiencing a severe flare or new symptoms (e.g., chest pain, shortness of breath), seek medical attention to rule out other conditions.
.png "15 fibromyalgia articles from Fibro Bloggers living with Fibromyalgia.")