Coping with chronic pain is hard enough when all you have to do is get through a normal day at home, but when you factor in the demands of travel, it suddenly gets a whole lot harder. Back support devices from spinalbackrack.com or similar sites can help, but there are lots of other things you can do to make your trip easier – and more enjoyable.
Pack Medication in a Carry On
The chances are good that if you have to cope with chronic pain, you need to take dozens of bottles of medication wherever you go. It might seem tempting to throw most of your meds in the suitcase, but since luggage has a nasty habit of disappearing en-route, don’t make this mistake. Instead, pack everything important, including your medication, in a carry-on bag. That way you won’t arrive at your chosen destination minus crucial pain medication.
Plan Transport Carefully
Transport is never easy when you are in a lot of pain. The things that other people take for granted, such as spending a few hours in an airport waiting for a connecting flight, or catching an overnight train, can seem unsurmountable when pain rules your life.
Now is not the time to travel on a tight budget. Instead, where possible, book First Class seats and taxis. You probably won’t have the energy to negotiate elevators and busy travel terminals, so ask for assistance. A more comfortable seat in a business class lounge or a taxi ride instead of walking will make all the difference to your overall enjoyment of the trip.
Make Sleep a Priority
Sleep is incredibly important. It’s easy to cope with jetlag when you are young and healthy, but once chronic pain enters the equation, getting enough rest is vital. For longer trips, it is a good idea to plan on catching up on your sleep for the first day of the holiday. Yes, you will lose valuable sightseeing time, but the more exhausted you are, the less you will enjoy the remaining days.
Pace Yourself
It is vital that you don’t try and do too much. The temptation is often to cram as much as possible into a trip, at the expense of sleep and general rest. After all, you have saved up for months to go to this place!
Feel free to adopt this strategy, but it will probably backfire. Instead, pace yourself and don’t try to do too much in any given day. Plan to visit one attraction per day, taking into account the logistics required to reach it, and if you have a bad day, throw the itinerary out of the window and relax instead.
Enjoy the Simple Things
The simple things, such as a nice coffee in a pavement café, or a great view from the train window as you pass through a new place, can be a good distraction from any pain you are feeling.
Being in pain 24/7 often puts travel on the ‘too difficult’ list, but the more you get out there, the easier it will be.
