Can flying make pain worse?

These days, unless you are flying in first or business class, airline travel is akin to riding in a flying bus. If you suffer from back pain, a long airline flight can make the situation worse.



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The cramped conditions and long periods of being less active on a flight can cause pain, stiffness or swelling of your legs. Being less active can lead to slow blood flow in your veins which increases your risk of developing a blood clot, known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

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If you have a longer flight, joint pain and stiffness could flare up more while you're sitting for long periods of time. If possible, get up and walk around from time to time during your flight to help prevent stiff, sore joints.

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7 Tips for Traveling with Chronic Pain
  1. Get a Massage Before, During, and After to Help Your Body Adjust! ...
  2. Take Your Own Travel Pillow! ...
  3. Don't Forget to Pack Your Favorite Tune-up Therapy Balls or a Tennis Ball! ...
  4. Help Relieve Chronic Pain by Getting Quality Sleep. ...
  5. Make Sure to Pack Your Analgesic Cremes or Pain Meds.


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“If you experience leg pain or cramps—especially in your calves—during flight, don't ignore that ache. The most dangerous type of ache in the body during a flight can be a blood clot, warns Summit internist Dr.

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Swelling is common during air travel The swelling is a combination of inactivity paired with the force of gravity pulling the fluids in your body toward earth. Sitting with your feet motionless for hours at a time can cause the blood to pool in the veins of your legs, but it isn't the only source of swelling.

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To fight leg pain and fatigue, you want loose-fitting garb. Tight clothing can hinder circulation — the number one thing you need for long trips. The exception to the loose clothing rule is medical compression stockings. These use graduated pressure and support blood flow from the ankle up to the knee.

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This includes those with cardiac failure, recent myocardial infarction (heart attack) or stroke, angina (chest pain) at rest, heart rate or rhythm disorders, uncontrolled arterial hypertension, severe anemia, sickle-cell anemia, acute mental disorders, epilepsy, and any serious or contagious diseases.

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“If you've got inflammation blocking your means of equalizing the pressure, that's going to hurt,” he said. That pain can continue even after your flight as inflammation prevents the pressure from equalizing, Adalja added. It can also lead to trouble hearing, vertigo, and in rare cases, damage to the eardrum, Wu said.

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