Those dreaded flare ups

LisaKesterDodgson

Anyone know how to prevent flare ups or see them coming? I recently had a very unpleasant one. I went to a dance class and noticed a slight burning sensation in the back of my knee but chose to ignore it. By the time I got home the pain was excruciating, The back of my knee was really swollen and I couldn't walk all. I was in so much pain i couldn't stop shivering. I took a couple of paracetemol and put an icepack on the back of my knee. The pain gradually subsided but it took a good 48 hrs to get back to what I laughingly call normal.

lizzieuk1

Wow you manage to go to dance class, that's impressive am struggling to walk let alone dance! I live in hope!
Not sure you had a true flare up sounds more like you aggravated the knee as a 'normal' person might and did exactly the right things to sort it. In my experience a true flare up lasts for a long while - I'm still in a 2 year flare!! It is post pregnancy so suppose rheumy warned me 9 months before it happened!
Not sure there is much warning otherwise just sort of creeps up on you, one day you're OK the next you can't get out of bed, I think getting to know what your body can cope with is probably the best way to predict if you'll have a problem after activity.

stickywicket

I'd endorse all that lizzieuk1 has said. I've never regarded a flare as a flare if it only lasted days. In my case they've almost always required a med change. Things which trigger them can include emotional stress as well as physical. However, if you have it in your knee, have you been given the go-ahead to dance? The twists and turns do put a lot of stress on knees. I'd get it checked out if I were you.

bubbadog

Wow I agree with Liz ' you can still dance!!' I went and twisted my right knee just stepping over the conseravatory door lip on Wednesday!! And I have to agree with Liz about not thinking it was a 'flare-up' you had because they usually last from 2 weeks - 6 weeks not 48hrs. I think the dancing was a little too much strain on your muscles and joints. And it would be worth getting checked over at your G.P's.

dreamdaisy

Dancing made your knee swell? Heck girl, I don't think that's a flare, that's aggravation. Anything that places a joint under distress leads it to swell as a form of defence to stop further 'injury'. My knees did it all the time, the usual causes were walking, standing still, sitting with my knees bent for too long etc. They don't do it so readily now thanks to the triple therapy I'm on but they do make their displeasure known if I push them too far (e.g. taking too long in the shower).

Flares are unmistakeable. You'll know when you get one simply because it doesn't go away in a matter of hours. DD

lily

Tbh I don't think this was a flare up, im in 1 at the moment and have been for 4 months I suspect you did too much and this was the result of that, take things easy and take care of yourself

Lily x