Now that we are past Memorial Day and now into the summer traveling season, we thought we would take a moment to look at some of the issues that people who have fibromyalgia, arthritis, and other pain conditions have to face.

Long, road warrior trips can be an incredible event for creating memories with family and friends that will last a lifetime, so don’t let pain and fatigue ruin what should be a great time.

[adrotate group=”5″]When you suffer from chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia and arthritis, the thought of being trapped on a plane or in a car for many hours might be enough to cause you to want to stay home. But considering these 6 tips for summer travel might be the very thin that makes it possible to have a great time on the road.

1- Select the right mode of transportation- Understanding that not everyone has the means to travel in luxury and extreme comfort, there are some things you can do to make the trip easier. For example- if you have the choice between air and rail, you should always put rail at the top of the list. You can take more comfort items, the security screening is much less convoluted, seating is generally more comfortable, and lines aren’t as long. Additionally, the scenery you will behold is enough to relax even the most frenzied traveler.

2- Prepare the travel space- No matter what the mode of transportation, you want to make sure you are as comfortable as possible. Make sure to have an abundance of water, as being dehydrated is a trigger to most pain conditions. Keep your medications, herbal remedies, and other aids in your purse or carry-on for convenience, and make sure to keep a travel pillow handy for propping up areas that get worn easily such as the back of the elbow and shoulder blades.

3- TSA “massage” preparedness- Some people can trigger a flare-up of pain just from the stress of worrying about the ‘pat down.’ If you prepare in advance, the TSA has said in their official publications that they will make every consideration possible for people with disorders, including chronic pain conditions. Take the sheet in your medical record that explains your condition, or at least a note from your doctor to present when you are selected for this type of intrusion. Don’t be afraid to ask for a manager, but also don’t be rude. This has the opposite effect on their willingness to help you.

4- Pack as lightly as possible. If you are going somewhere that has the necessities like shampoo, hair dryer, and towels included, leave yours at home. The lighter the bags and the fewer of them, the less you have to take and the less impacting the resulting luggage will be on your painful muscles. Make sure to take only what your need, but consider that a special pillow can be the most important item on that list if it helps you sleep better.

5- Don’t stuff your day- You may only have a week to spend in paradise or with loved ones, but if you plan too much in the day or skip meals, you are just tempting the pain fates to kick you in the backside. Pace yourself, take the good walking shoes (not just the cute sassy ones) and make sure you have enough time at night to get the 8 hours of sleep you know you need.

6- If you are going to locations that are notorious for heat extremes like the dessert, or will be camping in areas that stay hot at night, make sure to increase your water consumption during the day. It helps to plan for the heat in advance by spending increasing time out in it in the days and weeks leading up to the trip so it’s not going to be such a terrible shock and land you in the ER.

Chronic pain can really limit the fun you can have, but it doesn’t have to. Keep your body stocked with plentiful amounts of water, avoid alcohol, eat enough fresh vegees and completely avoid foods that you know will trigger pain- don’t take a vacation from good habits. This, and the 6 tips above will help you on your way to a trip that is as pain-free as possible.

The best option is of course to completely get rid of our pain. Here are a couple of options we recommend:

Arthritis is a thing of the past in just 3 weeks, following these step-by-step directions…

There is one major trigger of Fibromyalgia that is almost never talked about. Learn how to completely reverse Fibromyalgia by avoiding this one trigger here…

But first, let us know your must-do tips for pain-free travel by making your comment below.