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When I was 21, I experienced a severe concussion, dealing with pain management everyday. I was in the middle of a volleyball game when I went up to block the outside hitter. The next thing I knew, the right side of my face blacked out.
When I was first diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome, the thought of my dreams of travel and living a “normal life” were over. I didn’t understand how to travel with chronic pain, nor did I believe I could. Whenever I expressed my desire to travel with others, it was often met with good intentions. They would exclaim “travel while you’re young” is the best way to go. Yet no one ever addressed traveling young and living in chronic pain.
After I graduated college and was diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome from the traumatic brain injury (TBI), travel became a gradual afterthought. I figured once I felt better and healthier, everything would align and travel would be possible.
But after notoriously hearing from several doctors that the outlook on making a full recovery was grim, that “healthier version of myself” seemed to be slipping away. The wellness journey I was on seemed halted, and travel would never be an option.
This pain lasted for years. The pain of migraines, headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, sleep disturbances, and difficulties chewing. Basically it was…. PAIN ALL OVER.
Luckily, I didn’t give up and kept searching for ways to heal my traumatic brain injury. After all, I was resilient and the travel bug wasn’t going away. Since I’ve been on this recovery wellness journey, I have met some incredible doctors who have helped me feel tremendously better.
(Here’s a detailed version of my story and transformational journey.)
Now, it’s 100% manageable.
In July, Evan and I went to Yosemite National Park with our family. Exploring various hiking trails in Yosemite and connecting with nature in the beautiful wilderness. For the first time since I was 21, I was able to drive 2 hours straight on our drive up to the park!
Over the past few years while I’ve been continuously healing, I’ve also learned how to manage and cope with my pain. Staying focused on how to live a healthier lifestyle and finding a routine that my body, mind and soul all love both at home and on the road. Now, I help other women and travelers do the same.
I’m sharing this with you to let you know, no, you’re not crazy. If you’ve experienced chronic pain, and have a deep desire for to feel healthy, or that you want to travel, it’s possible.
You’re not the only one who finds it difficult to crawl out of bed sometimes when the pain is overwhelming, and you’re not a failure because you need down time in bed whether you’re at home or in an exotic location like Ibiza, Spain, or touring the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.
You just need to find your body’s middle ground — a place where you’re getting results, but not going crazy. I found mine. I happily reside spending my time traveling, and creating a healthy lifestyle filled with confidence, self-love, and positivity. Now I no longer feel those feelings of stress, anxiety, pressure or fear.
Here are some tips for pain management that I’d found extremely helpful when traveling.
Tips for pain management during travel
- Generously pack your pain relief supplies. Before your trip, decide how many pain relief supplements or how much medicine you will need each day. Then times it by the number of days you’ll be gone. I also pack essential oils first and then pack my supplements (throwing in an extra 2-3 in case one gets dropped). Otherwise, if you’re using CBD products, make sure to do your due diligence before buying a brand. You’ll also want to research the destination you’re traveling too, as CBD is not legal in all countries. (So, if you’re new to the scene, here’s some CBD products my friend Alex from Roam & Thrive recommends trying). Ultimately, if you’re still concerned, it’s always best to talk to your doctor.
- Opt for slow travel. Slow travel is one of my favorite ways to travel. It relieves the pressure of the “go-go-go” mentality, and allows a deeper sense of engagement in the country, state or city you’re visiting. For instance, if you have 2 weeks of holiday vacation, instead of planning to visit five cities, pick one or two and fully embrace all they have to offer.
- Take a rest day. Rest days when traveling are like gold! When there’s no agenda, no to-do list, no activities, just let your body guide you and tell you what it wants. You can relax by the pool, get a massage, go on a hike, or unplug from your digital devices.
- Light stretches or yoga. Yoga is one of my favorite tools to use when traveling so I can wake up feeling more refreshed and ready for the day ahead. Here’s a list of yoga on Youtube channels ranging from black yoga instructors, body positive teachers, and mediation practices. Feel what your body likes, move slow, relax, and breathe into those yoga positions.
- Try to have some normalcy in during your trip. While vacation is meant to be relaxing, be mindful of throwing your routine completely out the window. I’ve realized that if I don’t get 8.5 hours of sleep or more, my headaches worsen. Now, I always aim to make sleep a priority. Find what wellness habits are essential in helping you feeling good and lessening the pain, then make sure to do it while traveling.
- Focus on nutrition. While food and travel tastily go hand in hand, consider making sure you eat your daily fruits, vegetables, proteins and healthy carbs. Instead of grabbing a bag of chips for a snack, try to grab an apple and nuts, or another healthy snack item. I’ve found whenever I try to incorporate a healthy snack when traveling, I’m more successful at maintaining my body’s homeostasis. On top of that, I don’t feel guilt when I eat an extra scoop of vegan ice cream! Here’s a travel snack list for inspiration.
- Bring comfy shoes and clothes. Since you’ll be traveling, consider packing clothes that are comfortable for moving around in, and lounging in on the plane or car.
Additional resources for traveling with pain
- 10 Easy Wellness Habits to Use When Traveling
- Inspiring Transformation Quotes to Know
- The Best Wellness Quotes to Motivate You
- How to Juggle Food Allergies and Travel
Have you found balance between travel and wellness?
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Hi! My name is Ciara and I love to travel. I also know how difficult it can be to maintain your routine and live a healthy lifestyle, that’s why it’s my passion to help women stay in shape while having busy schedules and traveling!
If you’re feeling overwhelmed and don’t have a plan to follow that ensures you stay on track even while traveling, click below to schedule a quick call so we can strategize a plan perfect for you!
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Wow!!!! Very informative! Would you ever play volleyball again??
Honestly, I think about that often and would play in a heartbeat 🙂
You are very brave. It is difficult to travel (and enjoy it) when you are in pain. Your advice is great and I do follow many of the items on your list already.
Aw, thanks Rhonda. Traveling with pain does have its ups and downs but it’s such a blessing to travel! Yeah — so happy to hear that 🙂
I am really glad that you cracked it, learned to listen to your body and that you have continued to travel/live your best life! Lots of your tips are great even for folks who are not travelling with pain – as they are good ways to stay in the moment and enjoy trips without getting stressed.
It sounds like after this year, there will be more people living with chronic conditions even after they recover from covid-19, especially if they get the long version of the virus. I have a feeling more and more people will need to learn to live (and to thrive) with this kind of great advice… So thank you for sharing!
Thank you for your sweet words Josy! I’m so happy you found this post helpful for learning how to flourish while traveling. Your right– they can be applied to many areas in life. Did you have one that resonated with you the most?
I absolutely loved this post! Thank you so much for sharing! My mom has chronic pain, and although mine is mild most of the time, it’s still always there for me too so it’s nice to read about other travelers that travel with chronic conditions. I always opt for a rest day, it REALLY does make a huge difference. And pain meds – YES! Great great advice!
Thank you Kay! I’m so sorry that you and your mom experience chronic pain, but I’m SO HAPPY that you’re still able to travel and explore 🙂 Love connecting with other travelers with chronic conditions because then we get to swap travel advice and inspire each other.
Do you have a favorite thing you like to do on your rest day??
Very inspiring and encouraging to see such a post! You are super brave to embrace the life as it is! And I am sure this list is very useful for those who intend to travel with chronic pain!!
Aww, thank you for your kind words Anuradha! And I hope so too.