CRPS Flare: Catch the Climb

A CRPS flare can hit hard and fast.

Within minutes, the pain may climb several levels on the pain scale, from an already painful baseline to something almost unbearable. Sensitivity intensifies, and suddenly even the smallest movement, sound, or touch can become excruciating.

Sometimes there’s an identifiable trigger. Other times, the flare seems to come out of nowhere.

And once it starts, there may be very little you can do to stop it.

So what can you do?

Prepare ahead of time. Recognize the climb when there are warning signs. Make sure the people around you know how to help. And have a plan for when the pain becomes too severe to manage at home.

Because sometimes a CRPS flare means a trip to the emergency room.

Need a plan ready for the next flare? Jump to the free printable CRPS Flare Cards.

What Is a CRPS Flare?

A CRPS flare is a significant worsening of your usual symptoms. Pain may escalate rapidly, sometimes climbing several levels on the pain scale within minutes.

Burning, stabbing, or electric pain may intensify. Allodynia can become unbearable, and you may experience changes in skin color or temperature, swelling, stiffness, or muscle spasms.

Severe flares can also bring nausea, difficulty concentrating, or a feeling of being overwhelmed by pain.

Not every increase in pain is a full flare. And not every flare follows the same pattern.

Recognizing the Climb

Sometimes a flare builds gradually. Burning pain intensifies, your limb may change color or temperature, or stiffness and sensitivity increase.

Other times, the pain shoots up without warning.

If you notice the climb early, stop what you’re doing, reduce sensory overload, and rest.

Recognizing a flare doesn’t mean you can stop it.

What Can Trigger a CRPS Flare?

Sometimes you know exactly what set off a flare. Other times, the pain explodes without any obvious reason.

CRPS can react aggressively to things that wouldn’t ordinarily cause pain. And triggers aren’t limited to physical activity. Sensory exposure, medical procedures, and changes in your environment can all contribute to worsening symptoms.

Pushing Beyond Your Limits

Overdoing it doesn’t necessarily mean doing something strenuous. Walking a little farther, standing too long, travelling, or simply trying to accomplish too much in one day may be enough.

Sometimes the pain increases immediately. Other times, the consequences appear hours later or even the following day.

And your limits aren’t fixed. What you managed yesterday may be impossible today.

When Treatment Makes Things Worse

Sometimes a flare follows a treatment that was supposed to help.

Dry needling, an unsuccessful nerve block, or significant physical pressure during massage or manual therapy may aggravate symptoms in some people living with CRPS.

A procedure may cause a temporary increase in pain, but severe or prolonged worsening shouldn’t automatically be dismissed as a normal part of treatment.

If a treatment has triggered a substantial flare, document what happened and discuss it with your clinician before repeating the procedure.

Other Possible Triggers

Illness, injury, surgery, and environmental changes may also coincide with increased CRPS symptoms. Some people report sensitivity to weather changes, particularly cold, wind, or shifts in barometric pressure.

But not every flare has a recognizable cause.

Identifying a trigger can help you make decisions about future activities and treatments. It doesn’t mean you could have prevented the flare – or that you can stop it once it begins.

Be Prepared! (The Scouts Had a Point)

The Scouts had it right: Be Prepared!

You can’t predict every CRPS flare, and you certainly can’t control one simply by being prepared. But you can make arrangements before the pain becomes overwhelming.

When a severe flare strikes, even simple tasks—finding your medication, making a phone call, explaining what you need- can become almost impossible.

Having a plan in place means fewer decisions to make when the pain is at its worst.

And unlike a camping trip, this is one adventure nobody signed up for.

Build Your CRPS Flare Plan

1. Sort Out Your SOS Medication

Agree with your doctor what to take, how much, how soon it should work, and what to do if it doesn’t. Keep it within reach. Follow the prescribed dosing instructions.

2. Get Comfortable

Bed or armchair? Have your pillows ready. Dim the lights, keep things quiet, and avoid anything that adds to the pain.

3. Brief Your People

Make sure family or friends know what helps, what makes things worse, and when you need space.

Agree on a simple signal:

“The pain is climbing. I need you to follow my flare plan now.”

4. Plan for the ER

Ask your doctor for a letter explaining your CRPS, medications, sensitivities, and emergency care needs. Check referral requirements in advance.

Never delay urgent care for paperwork.

5. Pack an ER Bag

Comfortable clothes, something warm, an up-to-date medication list, your doctor’s letter, and your ER communication card.

Keep it where someone can grab it quickly.

The time to prepare for a flare is when you’re not having one.

When Home Isn’t Enough

Sometimes your flare plan isn’t enough, and you need medical help.

Unfortunately, getting to the emergency room can be an ordeal in itself. Every bump in the road, bright light, loud voice, or accidental touch can add to the pain.

The very experience of going to the ER can intensify an existing flare or trigger further worsening of symptoms.

When It’s Time to Go

My pain doctor gave me a simple rule:

“When the pain becomes unbearable, go to the emergency room.”

If the pain is unbearable and you can’t manage it at home, the ER may be your next step.

If possible, bring a family member or friend. They can help with practical things, speak for you when the pain makes talking difficult, and make sure you’re not facing the ER alone. But don’t delay urgent care if no one is available.

New or alarming symptoms need medical assessment, even if you think they’re part of a flare.

Why Many People Living With CRPS Avoid the ER

Many people living with CRPS dread the ER. The fear isn’t just the pain – it’s being touched, misunderstood, or judged for needing strong pain medication.

Your doctor’s letter and ER communication card can help explain things when speaking is difficult.

Ask staff to explain what they’re going to do before touching you, avoid contact with affected areas when possible, and reduce unnecessary noise and light.

An ER visit may be necessary even when the journey and treatment environment risk making the flare worse.

Free Printable CRPS Flare Cards

When the pain becomes overwhelming, explaining what you need may be difficult.

We’ve created two free printable communication cards that you can personalize and keep accessible.

Family & Friends Flare Card

A simple checklist of what helps during a flare, with space to add your own instructions.

Download the Family & Friends Flare Card (PDF)

Emergency Room Communication Card

A card to help medical staff understand severe CRPS pain, allodynia precautions, medications already taken, and why you may have difficulty speaking or tolerating an examination.

It also includes space for emergency contact details and your treating physician’s information.

Download the ER Communication Card (PDF)

Print the cards, fill in your personal details, and keep copies somewhere accessible. You can also save them on your phone.

After the Peak

The worst of the flare may be over, but your pain and sensitivity can remain elevated for hours or days.

Give yourself time to settle back to your usual baseline. Don’t rush back into activities just because the worst has passed. Later, when you’re feeling steadier, consider whether anything in your flare plan needs changing.

Catch the Climb

You can’t always predict a CRPS flare. Sometimes you can recognize it developing; sometimes it hits without warning.

Having a plan won’t guarantee that you can stop the pain. But it can mean fewer decisions, less explaining, and more help when you need it most.

You may not be able to control the flare. But you can prepare for what you need when it happens.

CRPS Flare! Catch the Climb