How badly do you want to live a normal life even though you are in an incredible amount of pain every day? Do you cringe at the thought of missing out on fun activities and making memories with your loved ones? Assuming that you fall into these categories and others like them , you probably love the idea of traveling and going on a nice vacation, but may fear the pain that has to join you.
It is frustrating when your travel buddy is your pain. Whether you like it or not, it is hard to go anywhere without pain accompanying you and affecting nearly every aspect of your activities. Here are a few tips and tricks for traveling with pain. Although it may not go away completely, there are some things that can be done to help limit the pain and make your trip a bit more enjoyable.
Medication: First, let's tackle the medication situation. Depending on the pain that you struggle with, you likely have daily medication(s) that you take. To make your trip a bit easier, ensure that all necessary medications have been filled before you leave and that you have enough to last the entire time that you are gone. If this is not possible, scope out the nearest place to your travel destination where prescriptions can be filled. Do your best to only bring your necessary medication and keep a list of your medical conditions, in your carry-on bag. This should make getting through security a little easier and you will not have to worry about the medications getting lost or stolen out of your checked bag.
In order to prevent your medication getting stolen on a trip, only keep a few in the original container and put the rest in a separate container. While you are in your hotel, lock it away in the hotel safe.
Trip Details: Put some extra thought into planning the trip to ensure that you feel comfortable and prepared for the entire duration. When planning the itinerary, schedule time to rest the day that you arrive at your destination, and multiple times throughout the trip.
Rest is important. If you do not have time to go back to the hotel between activities, then schedule to sit down at a coffee shop or on a park bench for a while. Driving from one location to the next can also be a nice rest for your legs. Ensure that you are comfy in the car though. Bring the proper pillows or cushions for your seat, this is helpful whether you are taking a road trip or just using the car to get from one place to the next. You should also make sure that your hotel room has the proper pillows and cushions that you need. Do not be afraid to inform the hotel of the accommodations that you need. If you feel like a room on the first floor or closest to the elevator would be helpful, then tell them. Last but not least, make sure you are also communicating with your travel partners and explaining your needs. Let them know what travelling may be like for you and if you need to take things easy or make a request to the airline or hotel. These small changes can boost your energy and ability to endure.
Maintain Your Health: This is an area that you have the most control of. There will be things that happen on your trip that you cannot control, make sure this is not one of them. Keep yourself healthy and ready to enjoy traveling. Stretch before and after a long day and make sure you get enough sleep. If you need to schedule early nights or nap time then do it, you will be glad that you did. Also, make sure that you have good shoes that provide support and clothes that will make you feel comfortable. Your shoes and clothes can help improve how you are feeling but it is important to take your medication as prescribed, while on vacation. Be sure to take it consistently and be careful of your alcohol intake if you drink. Medications can react differently when alcohol is in the body so do not use your trip as a time to experiment.
Hopefully these tips will make you excited to travel and will help you have a more comfortable and enjoyable vacation.
Recovia is a functional flex-care program that aims to maximize recovery for individuals suffering from chronic pain, injury, or dependency. The mission is to provide a compassionate, comprehensive, cost effective, and individualized functional rehabilitation program. For more information, please contact us at 480-712-4600 or visit our information page.
The advice and information provided herein is for educational purposes only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites.
