I greatly encourage my chronic pain patients to live the highest quality of life possible, even with pain, and one of the resources that often is used to help them do so is the Electronic Spinal Cord Stimulator. In very simple terms, this implanted device generates an alternative stimulus to the brain that overrides the chronic pain signal, making it much more tolerable for the patient, thereby reducing or eliminating the need for pain medication.
I also want my patients to be able to travel and enjoy everything that the world has to offer them. So, if you are a patient who has a neuromodulation unit and who wants to travel, either here in the US or abroad, I’m totally for you doing so. Working together and with some planning, we can do everything possible to ensure you have a great trip, while managing your chronic pain effectively.
I’d first recommend that you make an appointment with me when you know you’re going to be traveling AND let’s get your manufacturer’s rep into the office at the same time. It would be a great time to check the health of your neuromodulation unit, your battery and your remote, to make sure everything is in good condition and working properly. If it isn’t, we’ll have plenty of time to address it before your trip starts.
If you are travelling abroad, you may need special adapters or converters to charge your unit based on each country’s different electrical currents. Your manufacturer’s rep will be able to advise you on what you need and what to purchase for your trip to keep your operating system safe and functioning properly while you are out of the country.
Ask your rep about tips for cruises, long plane, train rides or road trips. They may know about certain settings for your neuromodulator that will provide extra comfort while traveling. You’ll be sitting in a seat – plane, train or car for long periods of time. Be prepared for your pain to be different than it is when you are at home and have a plan for managing your pain. Ask me about specific exercises that you can do while riding for long distances to help keep your muscles activated. Compression stockings may also be an option for you, but let’s discuss this first, in case you have diabetes or another circulation issue.
If you are on any prescription medications for pain, nerve pain, depression, etc., we will want to make sure that I have all of your scripts written out for you so that you can have them to take with you on your trip. Although rare, foreign customs officers can choose to give travelers a hard time and toss medications that do not have the appropriate documentation. Let’s make sure you are prepared for that eventuality.
I’d also like to perform a check-up to make sure you are doing well, physically, mentally and that your pain is well controlled. Travelling can be exhausting even if everything goes perfectly. Add jet lag, TSA lines, dealing with foreign customs and languages, lost luggage, and listening to a crying baby on the plane for eight hours, on top of chronic pain – well, you get the picture. I’ll want to make sure that you have a plan for what to do for break-through pain that may occur, and that you have built in time in your schedule for rest.
One of the things that I warn my chronic pain patients about is doing too much on their trips. Obviously, you want to go sightseeing as much as you can, but if your body is hurting, it may be better to take a day for very leisurely activities, like sitting at a café or enjoying a park, people watching, and getting some rest, vs. hiking the Alps or spending the day on your feet at the Louvre. Use common sense, rest when you need to do so, and you will enjoy your trip more in the long run.
Neuromodulators have helped so many people with chronic pain live life more fully. So go on and take that cruise to the Caribbean or head down to Mexico and see Cozumel or Playa del Carmen. I hope that you too will get out there and enjoy travelling again. Bon Voyage!