“A Pain Flare Management Plan: Suggestions to Offer Patients” is part of a series of six tools designed to assist clinicians who want to enhance patient’s chronic pain self-management skills.  For additional information, refer to the other materials in “Self-Management of Chronic Pain.”

Below are examples of what clinicians can offer patients to assist them with self-management of pain.  Clinicians are invited to offer some of these suggestions as part of what they discuss in a clinic session, but this material is not formally approved to be used as a patient handout.

Flare-ups are a very real problem for many with chronic pain, even when they are taking pain medications. A flare-up is an increase from normal, or more baseline, levels of pain. Unfortunately, pain flares can lead to many other problems including decreased mood, lower activity levels, and a feeling of being out of control.

There is a lot a person can do before calling a practitioner’s office or going to the Emergency Department or Urgent Care.  The more an individual can independently manage a pain flare, the better.  Lacking confidence in managing pain flares can cause people to live in fear of pain, and this can lead to limiting important activities.

This clinical tool is divided into two sections. Section 1 contains ideas for managing flare-ups.  Section 2 offers a framework patients can use to write their own flare-up plans.

Section 1.  Some Ideas to Consider

Plan Ahead

When a pain flare occurs, it is often difficult to think clearly, focus, concentrate, or problem-solve. Often, a person may go into survival mode just by trying to endure the increased pain level.  It is better for people to plan ahead, when they are not having pain, so that they will be ready for flares. 

Hurt Versus Harm

It is important to be clear about whether pain is just related to “hurt” (very unpleasant sensations), or if there is actual “harm” (tissue damage) being done.  In the vast majority of times, pain hurts but does not indicate actual harm being done to the body. This is important, because most people feel like there must be something really wrong if their pain flares.