As the holidays fast approach, many Canadians are heading to the airport for their holiday travels. Travelling requires a lot of tedious planning and preparing for anyone, but living with arthritis can make it that much harder as there are several additional steps to take and factors to consider before heading out.

Luckily, with the help of LLLT devices for pain relief, like the HandyRX, you can enjoy your holidays without worrying about pesky pain flare ups. Keep reading for our tips to make your holiday travels a breeze!

A Comfortable Trip is in the Planning

When travelling with arthritis, not only is there more to prepare, but packing and preparing can also take longer than it would for the average person, due to symptom flare ups. Follow these tips to make preparation for your trip as easy as possible, and to make sure you don’t forget anything important!

Consult With Your Doctor

Before leaving for your trip, you should make sure to schedule any important treatments such as medication injections. You should also take the time to discuss your travel plans with your doctor to help you prepare for your trip so that your holiday’s are as comfortable as possible. During this visit, you can:

• Obtain a letter stating your conditions and any prescriptions you may need. A medical form stating your condition and any prescription medication, as well as the doses, is important to have with you during your travels in case you need to refill a prescription or otherwise consult a doctor.

• Obtain a medical alert bracelet. In case of emergency, a medical alert bracelet is important to help alert emergency responders to your condition as it can affect any emergency treatments you may need.

• Be informed on any vaccines you may need and how they might interact with your symptoms or medications. Depending on where you are travelling, you may need to get travel vaccines to protect you from disease and bacteria your body isn’t accustomed to. However, some vaccines are contraindicated with certain arthritis conditions so it’s important to know how they will affect you.

Packing Tips For Arthritis Patients

One of the worst scenarios when travelling with arthritis is getting to your destination and realising you forgot an essential aid or medication. Nobody wants to be struggling with unnecessary pain or other symptoms on holidays, so it’s important you make a list of any aids you need to remember, and that you know how to pack them. Some tips you may want to remember:

• Pack any medications in your carry-on luggage. This ensures that you always have your medications with you in the unfortunate event that your checked luggage goes missing.

• Bring a neck pillow for long travels in planes or cars. A neck pillow will help you take pressure off of trouble areas when you have to sit stationary for long periods of time.

• Pack any maintenance items you use regularly. Items such as tennis balls for massaging sore spots that you use at home should be packed for use on holidays as well.

• Bring a portable LLLT device for pain relief on the go. Portable devices, like the HandyRX, are great for managing any pain flare ups during travel.

As the weather gets colder, more Canadians are planning their holiday escapes. If you’re living with arthritis, it’s important you plan adequately beforehand to minimize interruptions from pain flare ups. Portable LLLT devices, like the HandyRX, bring pain relief on the go, so you don’t have to worry about flare ups on your vacation.