How would you describe a flare?

[Prettystuffed]

Could any one explain what a flare in RA means. I have painful wrists, fingers, ankles and feet.. However my joints only get hot red and swollen from time to time. Maybe a joint once or twice a week. Only lasting about 24 hrs. Sometimes all my joints just ache. Its worse when I've been to work. Thanks in advance xx

[Mmrr]

A flare can be different things to different people, but generally when flaring people can feel flu like, feel very hot , maybe with a mild temperature, ache all over and have sore joints, fatigue and brain fog.

Not everyone will have all the symptoms when in a flare. I tend to get fatigue and brain fog pretty bad, with all over aching and feel a but flu like.

[Gnarli]

As I understand it a flare is an increase in disease activity and each person's body reacts differently. Some will experience grossly painful, swollen red hot joints and feeling as if they have a serious dose of flu with accompanying high fever etc. Others will get just the flu-like symptoms with pain, brain fog and fatigue and other's having anything between the two extremes. It's horrible whichever part of the scale you experience. I suggest you tell your rheumy team what is happening so that they can tweak your meds for you as your RD doesn't sound that well controlled at the moment

[Need2knowN]

As others have said it can present itself in different ways. For me, I feel more tired and my pain increases, I just feel more unwell. Sometimes it lasts 2 days sometimes a few weeks. Usually if it’s longer than 5 days, I do ring my nurse and she gives me an injection to help me. I dial back my schedule and allow myself to rest more.

[Angels54]

Hi sometimes feel like a burning feeling affects most of joints .

[GranAmie]

stabbing pains in ankles and fingers 'freezing' - have to force them apart

[dembonesDAMNBONES]

A flare, for me, means the various joints feel like someone is holding a flamethrower to them, and movement, which has to be very careful and very slow, is like broken shards of glass being ground inside the joints.

The muscles stiffen, in reaction to the pain, your temperature shoots up, but you shiver with cold, you're terrified of bumping into anything or anything bumping into you, your mind goes numb and you find yourself unable to focus on anything other than the pain, the aches, when your next painkiller is due, what you could have ever done that was so bad you deserve this and will the neighbours call the police, if you give vent to the screams and howls of agony.

That part always makes me laugh, which increases the pain and makes me crylaugh.

Yeah, it's a real bundle of fun. Lol.

[Prettystuffed in reply to dembonesDAMNBONES]

thank you for your reply. I agree with everything you say Lol xxx

[dembonesDAMNBONES in reply to Prettystuffed]

Flares gonna flare.