Surgery is never something to be taken lightly. When you make the decision to have spine surgery, or any surgery for that matter, you are putting your wellbeing in someone else’s hands. Therefore, it wouldn’t be surprising if you have decided to get treatment from a facility that requires traveling a great distance. When it comes to your health, you want the best doctors and the most reliable procedures, and if that means going somewhere that isn’t local, then that is what you do. However, that could lead to spending a great deal of time in an airplane or car and being away from your home, so it’s important to think about your safety while traveling.

One of the biggest concerns of spine surgery patients is how to cope with long car or plane rides. Your doctor will most likely tell you that it’s best to avoid staying in one position for an extended period of time. So, what do you do if you’re faced with a 10-hour car ride or a long flight with hours of time spent waiting around at the airport? Probably the best advice for these situations is to take breaks every now and then to move around. If you’re in a car, you can stop every half hour or so at rest areas or other locations where it’s safe to exit the vehicle and just take a couple minutes to stand up and walk. This way, you won’t be sitting in the same position for too long. Similarly, if you are flying on a plane, you can take advantage of the times when passengers are free to leave their seats. When the aisles aren’t crowded, you can just take a walk up the aisle and back. When you can’t take breaks or get up to walk, try altering your position every now and then. Even if it’s just a slight change in position, it can still be helpful. It also might be a good idea to bring a pillow with you for the car or plane to keep behind your back. There are even specialty pillows you can purchase for lumbar support or other target areas. Speak to your doctor for recommendations for your specific condition.

You could also be spending several nights in a hotel if you are traveling for your surgery. Many spine surgery patients worry about sleeping comfortably and safely while they are away from their familiar surroundings of home; however, there are some simple things you can do to ensure you get some quality sleep. You can easily take some pressure off of the lower back while you sleep with the help of pillows or rolled up blankets. If you are sleeping on your back, put a rolled-up pillow, blanket, or towel underneath your legs at the knees, to bend the knees slightly. Or, if you are sleeping on your side, put the pillow between your knees. You could also elevate your upper body a bit with pillows if it suits you. The bottom line is to just make sure that you are sleeping in a position that is comfortable for you. The most important thing to keep in mind for safety is to avoid positions that twist or turn the spine in awkward ways.

As with any type of surgery, the best safety advice is to stop what you’re doing if it causes you pain and to contact your doctor whenever you have any doubts or concern about the safety of certain activities or positions. Your doctor should be your primary resource for safety information, and he or she will be providing you with a plethora of post-surgical information to help you during recovery.

Taylor Thomas is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Mr. Thomas is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to traveling for surgery.

Taylor Thomas is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Mr. Thomas is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to http://www.healthgrades.com/group-directory/pennsylvania-pa/wayne/laser-spine-institute-9961d422 traveling for surgery.

Author Bio: Taylor Thomas is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications. As a lifestyle expert, Mr. Thomas is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including those pertaining to traveling for surgery.

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