Back Pain Support Group

Back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical care. In fact, about 3 in 4 adults will experience back pain during their lifetime! The term back pain includes pain affecting the neck, midback and low back. Acute back pain may begin suddenly with intense pain but typically lasts fewer than three months. Usually, chronic back pain is persistent, steady, and...

1,464 Members
3,674 Posts
0 Online
Brain & Nervous System
/ Back Pain Support Group

Airplanes

Bettme13
Bettme13
Has anyone been on a long airplane ride with their back pain? I have an annular tear in L5/S1 and I'm curious if anyone has had issues with the altittude or anything. I am leaving for Florida tomorrow (vacation paid for before this nightmare began) and it is about 5 1/2 hours, changing planes after 2 hours.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Last time I flew on a plane I just made sure to get up and strench as much as possible, and the chair was pretty cofterable so I survived, enjoy your vacation
deleted_user
deleted_user
i flew from michigan to oregon, and thought i was going to die when i got there. all i wanted to do was lay down. even tho you can get up and stretch, it's not the same. it was agony and me, the idiot, did it twice cause my sister lives out there and i missed her. i don't think i''ll be able to do it again.
tasha946
tasha946
I flew a few months ago and it wasn't any worse than riding in the car for the same length of time. It was just sitting that long that was bothersome. I have fairly mild DDD and some arthritis.
I think that moving around would have helped, but I didn't think about it at the time. I do some yoga that is not too strenuous and that helps me. I can tell if I don't do it in just a couple of days.
Best wishes!
jasp435
jasp435
I used to travel quite a bit by plane when I was still working. I don't think it was the altitude but being unable to reposition myself or move around as much that caused the increased pain. I learned to balance my pain medication so that on that day, I took the medication at the exact right times for the greatest benefit while on the plane. And I used breakthrough medication when it was necessary. Changing planes and airports are always the pits. I try to find non-stop flights when I fly now.