Tips for Traveling with Chronic Pain

Suffering from chronic pain shouldn't stop you from enjoying travel.

Chronic Pain

It's estimated that chronic pain — generally defined as pain that lasts longer than 12 weeks — affects a staggering 100 million Americans. Globally, 10% of adults are newly diagnosed with chronic pain every year.

For the millions upon millions of sufferers, the idea of traveling can be, to say the least, daunting. Not only is travel physically demanding, but it can mess with carefully managed routines.

Yet waiting for this pain to lessen or disappear before you plan any travel may have you waiting indefinitely — and cause you to miss out on an enriching experience. What’s the traveler to do?

We recommend planning ahead...starting with these simple steps.

Make an Appointment to See Your Doctors

If you live with chronic pain, chances are you have a trusted GP as well as other doctors that you see on a regular basis. To ensure nothing goes awry while you’re away, run your travel plans past these doctors before you leave, as they might want to offer advice or run important tests.

In addition to booking appointments before your journey, make appointments in advance for as soon as you return from the trip. That way, should any issues arise on the trip, they can be addressed as soon as you return.

If your doctors don’t have any problems with your travel, you are now ready to book!

Stock Up on Pain Relief

After you book your trip, count out how many tablets you’ll need for the duration of your journey and get the necessary prescriptions from your health care professional. If you take daily supplements, count those too.

Sometimes the particular brand you take may not be available overseas, and you don’t want to have to worry about looking for a pharmacy when you’ll have more important things to do. If you have a particular massage oil or creams that you use as part of your pain management plan, pack those too.

A first-aid kit is also useful, along with a paracetamol like Tylenol in case of an emergency. I find I need paracetamol if I have neglected my self-care, so it shouldn’t be something you rely on, but it’s good to have in your pocket.

Always try exercise or massage first, and never underestimate the effectiveness of a hot shower, which can relieve pain by relaxing your body.

Adopt a Pro-Active Mental Health Plan

Research has shown that chronic pain can affect your mental health. Stated simply, you feel down when you are not well, and this can start a vicious cycle that exacerbates physical and mental health issues.

To combat this, download a mindfulness or meditation app on your phone and get into the habit of doing a five-to-10-minute meditation every day. Meditation can be good for calming anxiety, and you can use the app on the airplane or in the car while you travel (if you are not driving).

If you see a psychologist on a regular basis, and you will be away for some time, your psychologist also may be okay with giving you an email address or phone number should you need it. Or you can organize a Skype consult.

Tell People You Have Chronic Pain (or Consider Traveling with a Companion)

When we have chronic pain, we sometimes don’t want to come off as being whiny, so we go to the other extreme and don’t talk about our chronic pain at all.

If you are planning to meet up with people on your trip, staying with friends, or taking a companion with you on your travels, let them know you have chronic pain. It’s good for them to understand, just in case something comes up on the trip with your health.

It’s also better for all involved that they are aware of your limitations, so you don’t have to be explaining yourself on your trip. You don’t want them to be making surprise plans for you that you can’t do, or, say, organizing for you to sleep on the couch when you can’t because of your pain.

Get Serious About an Exercise Plan

Keeping active is good for our general physical wellbeing, but it can be even more critical for chronic pain sufferers. Research has shown that exercise helps improve our mental health, and if we have good mental health we can have less pain. For some chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia, exercise is vital in reducing stiffness, pain, fatigue and sleep problems.

If you have been cleared to exercise by your physician, think about a travel exercise plan that will work for you. If you don’t have a physiotherapist you see regularly, make an appointment. They should be able to develop a stretching program that caters to your travel needs, including stretches you can do on the plane.

Be vigilant in your exercise program leading up to the trip, as you need to be at your physical best when you travel. And take your yoga mat with you, so you can do some stretching at airports while you wait for your next flight.

Your body will thank you.

Bring Comfortable Walking Shoes

If you have flat feet or your feet get tired and sore from walking, a trip to a podiatrist might be worth your while. They can assess your feet and order some custom-made orthotics for your shoes. Try and do this early, as it can take weeks to get these made, and you’ll also need to get an assessment a few weeks later to see how they are working for you and if the podiatrist needs to make any other adjustments. Your podiatrist can also recommend the kinds of shoes that would be best for your feet.

When choosing what to pack, make sure you have comfortable shoes that support your feet, and consider the possible weather conditions of your destination. When you are actually traveling, choose comfort over style, and if you think there is a chance you might end up having to do some unexpected walking on a day out, be prepared by wearing the proper shoes.

Make a Plan — and Don’t Cram too Much In

Make Time for Massage

Massages relieve tension, improve blood circulation and, crucially, help reduce pain. To be at your optimum health before the trip, organize a massage a few days before your departure.

When planning out your trip, also allocate time to have a professional massage once a week or once a fortnight. Use your own massage oils at night to massage your feet or shoulders with, which may already be part of your pain management plan.

Do some research online for reputable massage parlors in locations you’ll be staying in, and check out their reviews on Google or Yelp.

Organize Nature Time

Getting out and exploring nature can make a tremendous difference to your emotional well-being. One study found that walking in the forest lowers your stress levels, which could in turn help to reduce pain.

Don’t let your chronic pain stop you from organizing a walk or hike in the mountains, but check with your doctor first. To help avoid getting lost, look online before you leave to identify easier, well-signposted walks.

If you are traveling to a summer climate, go to the beach, as getting sun is good for increasing your Vitamin D stores. Naturally occurring salts in the sea or ocean have known health benefits as well, especially for chronic pain sufferers, as do mineral hot springs. Salt water contains bromide, which helps relieve muscle aches, pain and soreness caused by physical and emotional stress.

Take Out a Travel Insurance Policy

Nothing is worse than being sick in a foreign place.

Give yourself peace of mind by shopping around to find a comprehensive policy that covers you for any new health problems that crop up on the trip, as well as any pre-existing conditions. Together with your policy, keep a list of emergency contact telephone numbers for institutions such as your bank, travel insurance company, travel agent and all your doctors.

Sleep Well

A study in 2016 found that a high degree of sleep fragmentation or insomnia strongly affects pain. The lesson? Sleeping well is crucial to sound health.

Try not to leave your packing and organizing to the last minute, because it will increase your stress levels and make it harder to sleep. Rest well leading up to the trip, and make sure you are sleeping well as you travel. If you have a late night out, take it easier the next day and get to bed early.

If you can squeeze a nap in during the day, do it. This is a holiday after all.

If you are a troubled sleeper, consider downloading an app on your phone that helps you sleep, such as Sleep Melodies. These kinds of apps can also be useful on the airplane.

Pack a neck pillow for travel, and if you have space in your luggage, stash your own pillow or softer mattress cover if you sleep with one. This will make a world of difference to your sleep.

Eat Right

Eating different foods is a big part of travel, and is one of the ways in which we learn about new places and cultures. But don’t get too carried away.

If you have a heavy meal, make your next meal lighter and healthier. Not eating right can actually upset your metabolism and affect your pain and energy levels, making you feel lethargic and exacerbating your pain.

If possible, pack some of your own food from home and take it with you. It can sometimes be difficult to source healthy foods when traveling, so be prepared. If you are going on a road trip, pack a small cooler with some healthy foods. You’ve got plenty of time to eat more decadent foods later on.

Pack snacks for the plane if you don’t really like their food, and eat well leading up to your trip. Give yourself the best head start.

Have Fun

It’s hard not to get frustrated when you have chronic pain, but remember that you are fortunate to be able to travel and see the world.

Take photos and videos and try to be in the moment. Nobody’s life is every perfect, and this is just your hurdle right now.

Be brave and have fun...and don’t let your pain hold you back.