Yesterdays 22 hour journey from the Swedish forests to the heart of Brooklyn went surprisingly well. This time I learned something new about traveling with chronic pain:
If you support your spine well, it reduces overall pain!
Funny, I never would have guessed that it works that way. Maybe because circulation is so important to keep pain levels in check, and a stressed spine reduces circulation to your whole body? Of course, sitting still for 12-16 hours any day is a bad thing for pain, and pinched nerves can be pretty unbearable after a while. Good back support from all angles definitely increases circulation and reduces nerve pinching.
I had brought some good pillows and a blanket on the flight with me, and had ordered a window seat so I could prop myself securely in the seat with firm support from both sides. That seemed to relieve the pain quite a lot.
I remember a physiotherapist explained this to me once, and he had me buy a special V-shaped back supporting cushion that I could wrap around myself either sitting or laying down to give complete support for my spine.
Do you have a brand name for the V-shaped back coshion or a picture of it to post. I would like to find one.
ReplyDeleteThanks Anna!!! Great info on your blog posts. I find each one helpful so keep up the good work.
Hey Pagar :)
ReplyDeleteActually mine was hand-made. The girl who made them has stopped making them, and I can´t find any exactly like it online...which is a shame, cause they are great! It's really easy to sow one yourself, a V-shaped body pillow, with each limb measuring 35-40 inches...
Thanks for your input, I love your blog too and can really relate to what you´re describing!