It can feel really, really discouraging to wake up in pain and not really know why =( With or without PMR or a chronic condition, pain will still come and go…whether it may be from falling asleep funny on the couch one day or sitting through a long car ride.

I have chronic pain, and my PT told me with chronic pain, the brain processes pain differently . It’s more “familiar” to be in pain so it can come on a little easier or last a little longer sometimes if something sets it off. To help with these situations, she explained that it’s normal and okay to have a flare, and it’s still normal and okay if they pain lasts for sometimes 2 days and returns to baseline. And if it lasts longer than that, it may be time to check in with her, a doctor or take some other action.

That said…it’s still “normal and okay” to be frustrated or disappointed, which happens to me a lot too.

It was/is really hard for me to accept that “remission” is not the same as “cure” with most autoimmune conditions. I have a different inflammatory arthritis and in the beginning my rheumatologist was confident I’d achieve remission. I was sad to realize, if this is remission it still hurts. It took too long for me to get a diagnosis and find the right treatment, so we believe I developed central sensitization to pain in response.

A virus or a really stressful day can cause me a temporary flare or increase in disease activity that requires more action. There are still the everyday aches and pains that can crop up, and that gets confusing and scary if I’m constantly on the alert for it coming back…even if it’s normal everyday pain I might have had anyway.

I’m with you on how that can feel very depressing. I know it’s hard when you’re in it and wake in pain, but also we know it’s gotten better before, for the most part the medications work and whether it’s a PMR flare or transient pain, it might still pass in a few days. I hope it passes soon and you feel better.