Chronic Pain · Skills
Pain Flare Plan
Ride, don't spiral
Flares happen even with the best pacing. Having a plan in advance means the flare doesn't also become a crisis of confidence.
Signs a flare is starting
Flare protocol
- Reduce activity to baseline for 48 hours
- Keep gentle movement (do not go to bed)
- Heat / ice / meds per medical plan
- One connection contact
- Reduce screens, cortisol, and stress inputs
- Do not add fear commentary
What I say to myself during a flare
A safety-cueing sentence — 'this is a flare, flares end, this is not damage'
Flares are data, not verdicts
A flare tells you the load exceeded the current capacity. It does not tell you that you're getting worse.