3 Causes Of Body Pain You Shouldn’t Ignore While Traveling
Pain is one of the most common complaints that can lead to disability and days off work. This particular problem affects as much as 66% of the general population at any given time, according to a survey that was conducted by the Sandviken Hospital in Sweden. This problem can affect any part of the body and, in many cases, can also be a sign of an underlying problem, such as a disease that is developing. Many diseases can also cause pain as a symptom. In some cases, pain can be acute, meaning it will only be present for a short period and could be caused by particular problems, such as injury. In other cases, pain may be chronic, which means it presents itself in frequent sessions and occurs in a particular area of the body.
While acute pain is usually easily treated, chronic pain can be more difficult to treat as it would come back after a series of painkillers have reduced the sensation for a particular amount of time. Chronic pain can be caused by some factors. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, two of the most common different types of arthritis, are particular diseases that cause joint pain and many other symptoms that may be unpleasant. Cancer, Fibromyalgia and some other diseases can also lead to pain symptoms.
While traveling, the body is especially prone to pain. In this post, we are going to discuss some of the most common causes and types of pain that you could experience during your travels, and tell you to wish ones you can treat with a common painkiller and which ones might require medical attention.
1) Lack Of Sleep
While traveling, it is very common to be deprived of an adequate amount of sleep. Sleep deprivation has been linked to numerous health concerns, including mood changes, high blood pressure, a weakened immune system and a higher risk of developing heart disease. In addition to these problems, a lack of sleep may also be a contributing factor to the development of pain in the following forms.
- Migraines – As much as 29% of migraines are caused by insomnia or sleep deprivation.
- Excessive Muscle Soreness – When we do not gain enough sleep, our muscles are prone to become excessively sore after physical activity.
Apart from causing migraines and making muscles pain more after physical activity, sleep deprivation is also known to increase painful sensations when pain is already present. This may affect pain in any location of the body, including headaches, joint pain and more. If joint pain is the problem and sleep deprivation is also present in your life, requesting information about arthritis and using these tips along with adequate sleep may help to alleviate the pain somewhat.
2) Stress
Apart from being sleep deprived, people are also prone to stress more while traveling. Sleep deprivation itself also contributes to higher levels of stress. The combination can lead to the development of pain in many parts of the body. Let’s take a look at what forms of pain stress have been linked to.
- Back Pain – People who experience high levels of stress often complain about back pain.
- Headaches – According to WebMD, stress often causes headaches to develop.
- Abdominal pain – Stress can also cause an upset stomach, which may include constipation, nausea and diarrhea. This, in turn, can cause painful sensations to be experienced in the abdominal region.
- Muscle Pain – People also often find that their muscles become tense and painful if they have a lot of stress in their lives.
- Chest Pain – The excess pressure that stress placed on the heart may also lead to rapid heartbeats, which may be accompanied by pain that is experienced in the chest.
3) Dehydration
Apart from stress and sleep deprivation, many people also find that they do not consume enough liquid while they are traveling. Things may seem simply too hectic to drink enough water, and this can easily lead to dehydration. In turn, dehydration is known to cause numerous symptoms, with pain being one of them.
- Back Pain – According to Apec Water, dehydration is one of the key factors that contribute to back pain, with lower back pain being the most common.
- Muscle Pain – When the body is dehydrated, it may experience a change in electrolyte levels and also become warmer on the inside, according to Everyday Health. In turn, this may make muscles cramp and become painful.
- Headaches – Again, another problem that causes headaches. If the body is dehydrated, there may not be enough fluids in the skull to keep the brain from bumping against your skull. This may lead to the development of headaches.
If you do find that you are dehydrated on your travels, it is important to note that energy drinks and alcoholic beverages will not help you get hydrated, but would rather cause dehydration. Caffeine is also not a good choice if you feel that your body is dehydrated while traveling.
Pain can be a terrible symptom to experience and can be caused by numerous factors. With a compromised immune system, sleep deprivation and many other problems that we often experience during traveling, pain is one particular symptom that we often experience during our travels. In this post, we looked at some of the most common types of pain, areas affected by pain and other pain-related symptoms we experience during travels. Be sure to take note of the more serious pain symptoms that may require medical examination so that you can attend to potential underlying problems when the time comes. Different types of pain are dealt with differently. For example, a simple headache may be treated with painkillers, while joint pain may require NSAIDs and an effective supplement, such as Osteo Bi-Flex, to assist with preventing future sessions of pain.
To stay healthy on your trips this summer and enjoy fullest, read more tips here.
About the Author
Kathy Mitchell is a writer and avid researcher on the subject of Beauty, nutrition, and general wellness. She likes to go out with her friends, travel, swim and practice yoga. In her free time, you can find Kathy curled up reading her favorite novel, or writing in her journal.
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Rebecca Swenor
July 20, 2017This a great post on what body pain you should not ignore while traveling. Lack of sleep is a big cause of what throws the body of and than you get a domino effect. The same goes for dehydration too. It is so important to get enough rest before you start traveling and to keep hydrated during your travels. Making stops to stretch is something that can really help muscle and joint soreness too. Thanks for sharing the information.
View Commentkellyhutchinson37920
July 20, 2017I never get enough sleep when I travel. My daughter gets migraines when we travel. I had no idea they could be connected to the lack of sleep. So interesting!
View CommentLyf&Spice
July 20, 2017These are the most commonly faced issues while travelling. You have put them so nicely. I remember getting drained out once completely due to dehydration. From then on, I started taking extra care of myself and keeping myself hydrated. Cheers!!
View Commentparentingpatch
July 20, 2017Any pain that you cannot identify the cause of is usually a cause for concern. Dehyradation, especially, can cause headaches for me.
View CommentHealthwealthbridge by Dr.Amrita Basu
July 20, 2017Dehydration and inadequate sleep are big issues while travelling. We want to avoid roadside loos in India so drinking water is challenging on road trips .Great tips.
View CommentSonyo Estavillo
July 20, 2017I haven’t been traveling much and don’t really get migraines. But, I do have insomnia already so traveling and jet lag can really make things worse.
View CommentHeather
July 19, 2017I have some early arthritis in my shoulder from an injury I can’t afford to get fixed. Go USA!
View CommentCassie
July 19, 2017Dehydration and sleep are the two big ones for me. Also healthy eating – it can sometimes be so easy to forget about the veggies but they are important!
View CommentAlicia Taylor at Taylorlife.com
July 19, 2017Lack of sleep was a big one for me. I had serious migraines all the time till I remedied the situation.
View Commentjenny at dapperhouse
July 19, 2017I had no idea that so many migraines were caused by lack of sleep. I think that drinking enough water on vacation can be tricky but you are so right that people need to keep this and your other tips in mind when traveling.
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