Traveling for the holidays can be a blessing and a curse. Obviously, it’s always nice to celebrate with family and friends who you don’t get to see often. The challenge is that traveling with chronic pain can be quite difficult. At CPI we want you to be able to enjoy your holiday – including the travel – as much as possible. To that end, we’ve put together a few tips and tricks to help!

 

Most Common Sources of Travel Discomfort

It’s important to identify the most likely sources of discomfort or pain ahead of time. The earlier you can predict those challenges, the better you can plan to successfully navigate them. Some common travel pain triggers include:

• Small/cramped seating
• Heavy luggage
• Long periods of sitting
• Dehydration
• Unfamiliar/different routine and schedule

Once you’ve made your complete list, be sure to share it with your doctor. He or she will be able to share a few tips and tricks that help with avoiding your unique pain triggers. If you don’t currently have a pain specialist, we currently have Bedford doctors accepting new patients (locations also in Benbrook and Lewisville).

 

On the Road

When taking on a long road trip, the most important tip we can give you is to build in plenty of extra time. The amount of flexibility you have in your travel plans can be the biggest determining factor between comfort and discomfort.

Try to add in a minimum of an extra hour into your schedule for meal breaks, bathroom stops, stretching, refueling and maybe even an interesting roadside attraction. Each of these types of stops give you an opportunity to get out and move a little so embrace them! Also, if the drive is more than 7 hours, consider breaking the drive up into two days. Arriving early but in pain makes the rush not worth it.

 

In the Air

If your travel plans involve flying, there’s a slightly different set of issues involved. In a plane, you can’t exactly pull over to get out and stretch whenever you want – your options are very limited. However, there are still some ways you can minimize pain triggers. We recommend the following:

• Talk with a travel agent to get recommendations on less busy days to travel. This will minimize your wait time and on-flight congestion.
• Give yourself some leg room by booking an aisle seat or a front row seat.
• Bring water to drink or ask for some from the crew on board. Avoid drinking alcohol or caffeine, which can speed up dehydration.
• Bring small, portable tools that help keep you comfortable. Consider investing in a travel pillow or a compact blanket or a fold-up walker or cane.
• Call ahead to see about pre-screening options to avoid prolonged periods of standing or sitting. You can also inquire about a wheelchair or a motorized escort.

This is also another excellent opportunity to involve a member of your care team as you prepare for your travels. Our back doctors in Bedford TX (locations also in Benbrook and Lewisville) are very familiar with the challenges of flying with chronic pain. There are many options and strategies they can help you identify.

 

At Your Destination

Once you arrive and settle into your holiday destination, try to incorporate as much of your normal routine as possible. Be sure to keep that up throughout the entire duration, too.

If your normal day a home begins with a walk, take a walk on your holiday vacation, too. Maybe even invite your family to join you! Keep your daily medication in an obvious spot in your room so that you don’t forget to take it on time. Try to find foods in the holiday menu that don’t agitate your condition. And – above all else – find time to rest.

 

Back Doctors in Bedford TX

Your chronic pain should not stop you from living life! We provide a 360-degree treatment approach to pain management including: physical therapy, chiropractic adjustment, psychological evaluation and monitoring, medical grade CBD, medication management, cancer pain management and much more. Call today to schedule a consultation at one of our three convenient Texas locations – Bedford, Benbrook or Lewisville.