Traveling with Chronic Pain: Tips for Planning and Staying Comfortable
BY: REBEKAH CARTER
Pain is hard enough to endure in the comfort of your own home, so what do you do when you want or need to travel? Here are three things to consider for a more enjoyable trip!
1. Mindset
Is your perspective a friend or foe? Our outlook for why we are traveling can have a major effect on the quality of our experience AND our pain levels. Connecting with what is important to us about the trip is vital. If our mind is grumbling, we can ask purposeful questions — not to fool ourselves — but to be in touch with what genuinely matters to us.
Why am I choosing to travel?
How will this add to or help my life and the lives of my loved ones?
What am I looking forward to? (x3)
Travel regularly comes with hiccups and physical discomfort. Why not bring along an emotional well-being toolbox? Before you travel, find out what helps you process challenging situations.
Emotional Wellbeing toolbox examples:
Breathing exercises, meditation, EFT tapping, balancing pre-planning/letting go, notebooks, music, entertainment for positive focus, ear plugs, humming or singing to ourselves, wearing a smile, etc.
2. Circulation
Think blood flow. When we make a purposeful plan to keep our circulation flowing easily, we reap many different health benefits: pain relief and prevention, oxygen to the mind for clearer thinking, and vital energy to every part of our body. There are many ways to support our circulation; here’s a few ideas:
Circulation toolbox examples:
Breathing exercises, compression socks, stretches, frequent walking/breaks, massage tools, inflatable footrest, neck pillow, body pillow, water bottle, little dances, etc.
3. Assistance
Getting help is a wonderful thing! So many businesses are working to serve us by providing assistance in a variety of ways. Safely asking friendly strangers for a hand gives them a boost of feeling valuable. Helping each other is just how the world goes around!
Assistance option examples:
Utilizing wheelchairs at the airport (request in advance), a fellow passenger helping with storing carry-on luggage in the overhead compartments, making use of elevators, finding out about disability assistance at hotels, locating urgent cares and hospitals ahead of time, talking with your doctor about their recommendations for travel and medication, finding ways we can also help someone around us (such as being uplifting by giving a sincere compliment), etc.
Keeping your mindset and your circulation in a healthy space and asking for help when needed can shape the entire outcome of your travels. Here’s to taking care of yourself and having a special experience!
What’s in your toolkit?
Happy travels!
ABOUT REBEKAH
Rebekah Carter is focused on finding fun and effective ways to have a beautiful life! Fibromyalgia continues to be her catalyst for health and purpose as she seeks ways to improve in body, mind, and heart. With her success in using pain management tools, she is working to share information and design innovative products for the chronic pain community.
