Most people with long-lasting symptoms notice that they do not feel the same every day. There may be times when things are quieter and easier, and times when the pain or other sensations suddenly feel louder. These ups and downs are usually called flare-ups.
Flare-ups can be frightening, especially if you have started to feel better. It is easy to worry that you are “back at square one” or that you have damaged something. In many cases, however, a flare-up says more about a temporarily stressed or sensitised nervous system than about any new injury.
Flare-ups are part of a changeable system
The nervous system is designed to respond to what is happening in your life. Stress, lack of sleep, strong emotions and physical exertion can all change how sensitive it feels. When the system is already on high alert, even small extra demands can lead to a spike in symptoms.
This does not mean you have done something wrong. It simply means your protection system has had a busy day and is reacting more strongly than usual.
Common patterns people notice
- Symptoms are worse after a stressful day at work or home.
- Flare-ups appear after poor sleep or when feeling run down.
- Symptoms increase around difficult conversations or emotional events.
- There are “good days” when the body feels lighter and more free.
- Symptoms ease during holidays, safe company or calming activities.
Noticing these patterns can be uncomfortable at first, but it often becomes reassuring. It shows that the symptoms are linked to how safe or overloaded your system feels, not simply to bending the wrong way once or taking a single step too far.
Triggers are not enemies, they are information
A trigger is anything that seems to set symptoms off or make them louder: a movement, a situation, a thought, a place, even a smell or sound. It can be tempting to avoid triggers completely, but this often shrinks your world and keeps the nervous system convinced that everyday life is dangerous.
Instead, it can help to view triggers as information. They show you what your system is currently sensitive to, so that you can work with those areas gently over time rather than fearing them.
Responding to flare-ups more kindly
In a flare-up it is natural to panic or blame yourself. A more helpful approach is to:
- Pause and remind yourself that flare-ups are common and temporary.
- Check what has been happening in the last day or two: sleep, stress, emotions, load.
- Offer your body reassurance rather than criticism, for example through gentle breathing or grounding.
- Soften any urge to over-correct by stopping everything; instead, ease back gradually.
- Notice when the flare begins to ease, so your brain links safety with recovery.
Many people find that when they meet flare-ups with understanding instead of alarm, the spikes become shorter and less intense over time.
Flare-ups do not wipe out your progress
Perhaps the most important point is this: a flare-up does not cancel the gains you have already made. The nervous system can be sensitive and still learning, even while overall you are moving in a healthier direction. Progress in this kind of work is often uneven, but that does not mean it is not happening.
Seeing flare-ups as part of the process rather than proof of failure can make the whole journey feel more manageable and less lonely.