The holidays are right around the corner, and tens of millions of Americans will travel by plane, train and automobile to get to a holiday destination this weekend. If you are visiting family or spending the holidays somewhere warm, the prospect of traveling to your destination can have you feeling less than enthused, especially if you are dealing with a chronic pain condition.
Dr. Cohn and his team want to make your holiday travel a breeze even if you have chronic pain, so in today’s blog, we share some tips for making holiday travel less messy if you have chronic pain.
Traveling With Chronic Pain
If you want to help keep your chronic pain condition at bay during your holiday travels, keep these tips in mind:
Move When Possible – Chronic pain tends to worsen when we’re stuck in the same position for an extended period of time, so take advantage of opportunities to get up and move when the situation presents itself. If you stop for gas or the captain turns off the seat belt sign, get up and move, as this will help healthy blood circulate more easily. This tip is also easier to perform if you also keep the next tip in mind.
Leave Early – If you’re driving to your destination, leave a little early so that you can make some pit stops to stretch if pain starts to worsen. If you’re running behind schedule, you may not want to stop and stretch, and that can make your pain condition worse. If you’re traveling by plane and can’t control your arrival time, make it a point to stand up and move around in the time leading up to the boarding process. Squeezing in some last minute movement before you sit for an extended period can help keep chronic pain flareup at bay.
Medication Management – If you’ll be gone from home for an extended period, make sure that you have refills of any prescription medication that may be hard to acquire from a different pharmacy. Also be sure to pack your over-the-counter pain relievers and consider taking some anti-inflammatory medications before you get in the car. Always follow the instructions on the bottle and do not get behind the wheel if it is not advised to operate heavy machinery while under the effects of your medication.
Stay Hydrated – Always have a bottle of water nearby so that you can stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water will help boost your circulation and prevent muscle stiffness, which can contribute to pain.
Dress Appropriately – Give some thought to the clothes you’ll be wearing as you travel. Your vehicle or the plane may start off colder and get warmer over time, so you’ll want to be able to add or remove layers to regulate your body heat. CRPS and other pain conditions can flare up when your body can’t effectively regulate its temperature, so wear layers of comfy clothes and add or remove them as needed during your travels.
We hope that you have a wonderful holiday season, and that starts by keeping pain at bay during your travels. Keep these tips in mind, and we’re confident that you’ll be giving yourself a great chance to maintain control over your chronic pain condition. For more information, or for personalized help with a pain issue, reach out to Dr. Cohn and his team today at (952) 738-4580.