It's Not in Your Head

26 Traveling with Chronic Pain: How to Manage Symptoms & Prevent Flares

Dr. Dan Bates & Justine Feitelson Season 2 Episode 26

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0:00 | 45:47

Traveling with chronic pain requires planning — but it doesn't have to mean giving up adventures. This episode covers the full travel arc, from pre-trip preparation and in-flight strategies to post-travel recovery, with practical insight drawn from Justine's personal experience traveling with chronic pain. Key topics include medication management, communicating needs to travel staff and accommodations, and building a "holiday program" with a provider to minimize flare risk. The episode is designed to help patients reclaim meaningful travel experiences with confidence, and give providers insight into the challenges faced and how to best support patients.


Resources:

www.iniyh.com/episodes/ep-26-travel-with-chronic-pain

INCB - Country Regulations for Travellers

incb.org/incb/en/travellers/country-regulations.html


Tmestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:30 A Lighthearted Start

01:53 Travel and Pain: An Overview

02:29 Building Travel Confidence

04:02 Pre-Travel Strategies

08:12 Medication Management

13:15 The Holiday Program

18:06 Flare Management During Travel

23:41 Travel Tips for Managing Disabilities

24:00 Using Wheelchair Services and Handling Reactions

25:06 Personal Travel Experiences and Benefits

27:06 Managing Symptoms During Flights

39:29 Post-Travel Recovery Strategies

41:40 Final Thoughts on Traveling with Pain