Pain Flare-ups – How Long They Last & How to Treat Them
Jan 25, 2017
Pain flare ups (or breakthrough pain) are increases in already existing pain that impact a person’s daily life and activities. Pain flares can be absolutely debilitating, but there are methods for treatment. In this article, we are going to discuss pain flare ups – how long they last, and how to identify & treat them when they occur.
A pain flare-up is a dramatic increase in a person’s level of pain that occurs suddenly. Pain flares (also known as breakthrough pain) aren’t new pain, but an increase of an already existing pain. Flare-ups are highly subjective – some patients experience flares that last for a few minute or hours, while others can have flares that last for days or weeks at a time.
Pain flares are common in patients who suffer from chronic pain conditions like arthritis, fibromyalgia, and CRPS. These patients generally have bouts of time where their pain is diminished, only to have the pain flare up again out of nowhere.
So what causes a pain flare-up? Many flares are tied directly to certain chronic pain conditions. Sometimes these flares can be triggered by stress, or injury. Other times it can be set off by everyday activities like exercise, or work.
Treating pain flare-ups requires, first and foremost, an accurate diagnosis of what’s causing the pain. Once you know what’s causing your pain, you can begin to strategize how to treat it using pain medications, injections, regenerative medicine, or other modalities. Ultimately, pain flare-ups are extremely patient-specific and should be treated as such.
Advanced Spine & Pain Clinics of MN has been providing pain management care to the Twin Cities for the past two decades. Our board-certified pain doctors are equipped to treat all types of pain, and are trained in the most innovative treatment modalities – including PRP and other regenerative medicine strategies. Whether you’ve just started experiencing pain flare-ups, or you’re dealing with a chronic pain condition, our pain management doctors have the expertise needed to devise a treatment plan that works. Contact our Edina pain clinic today to set up your appointment and get started with one of our skilled Minnesota pain physicians.