Anticipating a trip is exciting for most people. But for those who have medical travel concerns, the mere thought of a trip can cause anxiety. However, with some advance notice and a little preparation, you can ease your nerves.
With most types of travel, the more time you have to prepare, the better. If you are traveling for emergency medical care, you likely won’t have time to try all of these suggestions. However, you’ll find that even some may work well for you or a loved one.
Here are some things you can do to alleviate fears associated with medical travel.
Keep a list of everything you are concerned about. According to Psychology Today, making lists can help you work through confusion and uncertainty. You might find a multicolumn list to be helpful. In one column, include the thing you feel anxious about. In the column next to it, identify the steps you can take to address your concerns. In the last column, assign a number to that concern. Is it a 1, for highest priority or just a 3, for lowest priority?
Organizing such a list can help clear your mind of those anxious feelings.
Make an appointment with your doctor. On your list, you may identify things that are concerns you should share with your doctor. If so, be sure to address them at a pre-travel appointment. In addition, ask your doctor about any pre-travel medications or vaccines you may need, if you are traveling outside the U.S., and prescriptions that should be filled before your departure.
Your doctor also can answer questions about how to prepare for long flights, any medical conditions you have that could be affected by travel, and other health-related concerns.
Make a packing list. To feel more prepared, you should also make a checklist of what you plan to bring with you. In addition to appropriate clothes and shoes, travelers should pack enough medicine or supplies for the duration of their trip, plus a few extra in case of delays. Keep all medicine and medical supplies in their original packaging and put them in your carry-on bag, not checked luggage.
Create a playlist. Crowded airports, long car rides and long-distance air travel can cause stress levels to rise. If there are certain songs that help you relax, be sure to put them on your “calming” playlist. Or purchase a curated list or CD of relaxing music. Listening to soothing music also can reduce anxiety before surgery.
Practice relaxation techniques. This can include deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation and even self-hypnosis. If possible, practice techniques each day for a week before you travel. These exercises are easy to learn, but you’ll want to give yourself enough time to discover what technique works best for you.
Get a massage. If you’ve found that massage, acupuncture or aromatherapy have helped you during stressful situations, schedule an appointment before medical travel. Check with your doctor to make sure such treatments are appropriate for your condition.
Medical Travel Concerns and Medical Transport Services
It may not be realistic to eliminate all medical travel concerns, but easing them is important to prepare for travel and promote healing.
In addition to the list above, working with a medical escort can help eliminate anxiety related with medical travel. Medical escorts typically travel with people on commercial airlines and can provide assistance and care during screening, boarding, in flight and during transport to and from the airport.
SentinelMED’s team of medical escorts are nurses, physicians, physician assistants and paramedics who are trained or experienced in emergency and critical care medicine. In addition to arranging and matching medical escorts for patients, SentinelMED also can handle all the logistics associated with domestic and international air transport services, and medical repatriation services. Our team is experienced in transporting patients with serious or complicated medical concerns over short and long distances.
The SentinelMED team understands the complexity of delivering exceptional care to patients who need assistance during travel. Please contact us to learn more about the services that SentinelMED offers or its staff.
