This flare up tracker is a free printable flare log for anyone with a long-term condition whose symptoms come and go. It follows each flare from the first signs until you feel back to your usual, with one page per flare.
Flares can blur together. A page for each one shows how it started, how long it lasted and what helped. After a few flares, you may see the same early signs and triggers come up again, and you can act sooner next time.
Download the Flare Up Tracker
- Fill it in on your phone or computer, or print it
- US Letter and A4
- Includes a filled example
US Letter suits the US and Canada. A4 suits most other countries.
How it helps
See each flare clearly
A day by day chart from 0 to 10 shows how fast a flare peaked and how long it took to settle.
Spot what comes before
Write the first signs from the 48 hours before, and tick possible triggers such as poor sleep, stress or a weather change.
Know what to do first
A plan made on a good day means you do not have to think hard when a flare starts.
How to use it
- Notice Write down the first signs, and what happened in the 48 hours before.
- Chart Each day, mark how bad it is from 0 to 10, then join the dots.
- Try Note what you tried and whether it helped.
- Settle Write the day you felt back to your usual, and the number of days in total.
What is inside
- One flareA filled example and five blank flare pages, each with a day by day chart, first signs, triggers and what you tried.
- My flare planYour early signs, first steps, who to tell, and when to call your doctor or get urgent care.
- Looking back across flaresYour flares side by side and the triggers and signs that came up again, ending with a card for your next appointment.
See a filled example
The example is flare number 3, in the joints of the hands and knees, starting Monday, March 2. It climbs from 4 to a peak of 8 on day 3, eases to 2 by day 7, and is back to usual on Monday, March 9, after 7 days in total. Stiff hands and heavy tiredness after a short walk came first. Poor sleep, stress, a weather change and a long week at work are ticked as possible triggers, and a heat pack on the knees helped the most.
Open the full PDFTips that make it work
- Fill in My flare plan on a good day. When a flare starts, you will not have to think about what to do first.
- Start a new page as soon as you notice the first signs, even if you are not sure it is a flare yet.
- Mark the chart once a day at about the same time, then join the dots so the shape of the flare is easy to read.
- After two or three flares, copy the key details onto Looking back across flares and look for what repeats.
Bringing it to your doctor
Bring your flare pages and Looking back across flares to appointments, so your doctor can see how often flares happen, how long they last and what helped. Agree with your doctor or care team which signs mean you should call and which need urgent care, then write them in your plan. If a flare feels different from your usual pattern or much worse, contact your doctor.
Questions
What is a flare-up in medical terms?
A flare-up is a period when the symptoms of a long-term condition get stronger or harder to manage, then ease again. Many conditions can flare, including fibromyalgia. Each flare can look a little different, which is why a page for each one helps.
How long does a flare-up last?
It depends on the condition and the person. Some flares settle in a few days and others last longer. Each page records the day you felt back to your usual and the total number of days, so you learn your own pattern.
What causes a flare-up?
Often there is no single cause. For fibromyalgia, common triggers include emotional stress, changes in routine, poor sleep, weather changes and illness or injury. The tracker lets you tick possible triggers for each flare and see which ones come up again.
What to do during a flare up?
Follow the first steps in your plan and tell the people who need to know. Note what you try and whether it helps. Call your doctor if your signs match the ones you agreed with them, and get urgent care if something feels severe or new.
What is a flare up plan?
A flare up plan is a short list you write on a good day: your early signs, your first steps, who to tell, and when to call your doctor or get urgent care. My flare plan works as a flare up plan template, and a flare up plan for chronic pain follows the same steps.
Is this flare up tracker free?
Yes. It is free in A4 and US Letter sizes. Fill it in on your phone or computer, or print it and keep it with your plan.
More free worksheets
References
- Cleveland Clinic. Fibromyalgia: What it is, symptoms and treatment. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4832-fibromyalgia