Just had to have a steroid jab in my elbow due to a flare up. I,m kind of puzzled now because although I have had RA for a while now I thought when you flared it was in all joints or at least more than one. (usually is for me) consultant says that my enbrel jab is still working so considers it a localised flare, but why oh why is it always the same elbow?
But on the bright side it is ONLY the one joint.
Hi Chrissycl, you are lucky, I would rejoice if only one joint flared. Actually, I feel pretty good when I take my meds as instructed but once in awhile-I flare up. The weird thing is that I tend to flare only on one side at a time. Like my left hip, knee, and thumb all decide to act up together. But that usually is good, because then I can still drive with the other leg & hand.
Hope your elbow feels better soon.
Christine
I often get one joint playing up. In fact when I think about it I usually have one joint causing pain, the game every morning is to see which one it is today. My RA is well controlled, but I'm never really without a niggling joint somewhere. Not quite the same as a full on flare, but it's also supposed to be symmetrical and for me it certainly never has been.
Without wanting to alarm but has OA ever been raised by your Rheumy? When my left knee was really playing up I brought it to my Rheumy's attention as a localised flare but it turns out it's my OA worsening & spreading. She explained the difference between the "swelling" I have when flaring (looked the same to me as RD swelling) & soft tissue swelling (fluid build up) & the different type of pain of the two & though very similar having done more research I now get it.
I hope the steroid injection works but if it continues to be a problem when it's worn off I'd be questioning OA.
Hi Chrissy
Sorry to hear about your elbow. Hope the steroid jab does the trick. Did they tell you to rest the elbow for 24 hours?
I often have flares in one joint. My wrist at the mo. Before that a finger, before that my feet. If you continue to need joint injections or depo's then it's maybe time to try a new treatment?
Hope you feel better soon.
Thanks for all the replies, rhuemy checked all meds and x ray's just said it was a localised flare and because I had the usual aches in my other joints but no swelling the Enbrel was doing its job and most of the swelling was due to a lot of fluid and infection in joint.
refused 5th Covid vax.
Flu jab and flare ups
Has anyone found that their RA symptoms have flared up after getting the flu' jab?
Steroid injections 
