Travelling with vasculitis and vascular disease (2024)

FAQs

Can you travel with vasculitis? ›

Can you fly with vasculitis? In theory, yes. But you will need to check with your doctor beforehand to ensure your condition isn't going to cause you any issues whilst you travel.

Can You Fly With Peripheral Artery Disease? Many patients wonder if it is safe to fly with peripheral artery disease (PAD). Fortunately, the American Heart Association says that travel doesn't need to be off-limits as long as you manage your PAD symptoms..

As a vasculitis patient, there is a lot that is out of your control, but physical activity can help you control a few things and improve your quality of life. Why be active? Reduce Inflammation: As little as a single bout of 20 minutes of light physical activity can reduce inflammation markers by 5%.

Yes, you can fly if you have posterior vitreous detachment (when the gel-like liquid inside the eye shrinks and pulls away from the back of the eye). There is nothing about flying that would make a posterior vitreous detachment worse. However, PVD can lead to retinal detachment.

Excessive dieting is not recommended for the vasculitis patient. Also, when taking steroids there is an increased risk of developing osteoporosis. Increased calcium in the diet can help prevent osteoporosis developing.

It mostly affects adults over 50 and is more common in women than men. It can cause: pain and stiffness in the shoulders, neck and hips, which is often worse after waking up. a high temperature.

The air pressure while flying increases the risk of blood clots forming, which is not ideal. Heart complications: If you've suffered a heart attack, stroke, cardiac failure or chest pain while at rest, flying should wait. The lower oxygen levels, increased air pressure, high altitude and more could affect your health.

Some challenges you may experience during long-haul flights include: Extended sitting. Long periods of inactivity can increase pain and swelling of your affected joints.

People who travel on airplanes may experience poor circulation in their feet. This can occur from a lack of adequate leg room, in addition to limited mobility. Noticeable symptoms of this condition can include cramped and swollen feet which can cause severe pain and discomfort.

Possible triggers for this immune system reaction include: Infections, such as hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Blood cancers. Immune system diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and scleroderma.

What makes vasculitis worse? ›

Smoking makes the blood vessels become narrower inside and can therefore make vasculitis symptoms worse. Smoking can also worsen lung inflammation. It's therefore very important to try to stop smoking. This will also improve any symptoms of Raynaud's phenomenon.

One of the aspects of your life that Vasculitis may affect is your ability to walk and get about. If that happens this does not mean that you are condemned to staying at home. There is help available to you out there if you search for it.

Get plenty of physical activity to help prevent PAD or improve symptoms of PAD. Do not use tobacco. Smoking increases the risk of PAD and makes PAD symptoms worse. Control high blood pressure and manage high blood cholesterol and diabetes.

Compression socks are a relatively safe treatment, but some patients should avoid them. For patients with severe peripheral artery disease (PAD), the compression socks could further restrict blood flow into the leg.

As previously stated, air travel is not advised in patients with unstable or untreated coronary artery disease. It is also not recommended to fly within 2 weeks of a heart attack with no complications.

Over-the-counter pain medicines can relieve symptoms of mild vasculitis. For more serious cases, your provider may prescribe medicines. Corticosteroids reduce swelling in your blood vessels. For some types of vasculitis, you will need steroids for months or years.

The key to lessening the symptoms of the many types of vasculitis is to reduce inflammation. Anti-inflammatory medications, notably glucocorticoids such as prednisone or methylprednisolone, are the most common first-line treatments.

Eat a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of vegetables, fruit, whole grains and lean protein like chicken, low-fat dairy and fish. Limit sugar, fat and alcohol and maintain a healthy weight. Speak with your doctor about vitamins.

Some vasculitis medications definitely don't mix well with alcoholic drinks. In particular, methotrexate — the one my doctor switched me to in college — doesn't directly interact with alcohol. The problem is that both can damage the liver, so mixing them isn't wise. Different drinks have different effects, as well.

There is no cure for vasculitis at this time, but with early diagnosis and proper treatment, many patients can lead full, productive lives.

Is vasculitis considered a disability? ›

Are You Eligible for Social Security Disability Benefits? Systemic vasculitis is a condition included in the Social Security Administration's Blue Book Listing of Impairments.

Infectious diseases – If you have the measles, flu, chickenpox, or any other infectious disease, you are advised not to fly until you have been cleared by your doctor. Deep vein thrombosis – Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a common blood clot in the legs that causes swelling or pain.

Our immune systems are sensitive to fluctuations in hormone levels, and when things are kept in delicate balances, the emotional and physical exertions of flying can be enough to trigger immune responses you don't want.

These medical conditions include a personality disorder manifested by overt acts, a psychosis, alcoholism, drug dependence, epilepsy, an unexplained disturbance of consciousness, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, and diabetes requiring medication for its control.

High altitude hypoxia is known to induce an inflammatory response in immune cells.

If your GP has not recommended any specific precautions, I would assume your husband is safe to take a long flight; it is, however, essential that he wears full-length compression stockings to guard against the swelling worsening in his legs.

The longer the flight, the longer you'll sit, and extended sitting will only aggravate the symptoms of varicose vein symptoms and increase the likelihood of developing a blood clot. The greatest risk flying poses to patients with varicose veins is deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or a blood clot that forms in a deep vein.

How long after a flight can DVT occur? A deep vein thrombosis blood clot can develop anytime from a few days to a few weeks after a flight – usually after a long-haul journey. However, if you're active during your flight and in the subsequent weeks, these blood clots can break up naturally.

Why did I get vasculitis? ›

Vasculitis is an inflammation of the blood vessels. It happens when the body's immune system attacks the blood vessel by mistake. It can happen because of an infection, a medicine, or another disease. The cause is often unknown.

Vasculitis can occur as a disease unto itself, or in the context of an autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or antiphospholipid syndrome. In those autoimmune diseases, the body perceives its own tissue as "foreign" and the immune system attacks the body's own blood vessels.

Exercise-Induced Vasculitis is a rash of the lower leg which commonly occurs after prolonged walking. Cause, treatment & best method of prevention is not agreed upon. This case report suggests the main cause of the rash may be venous stasis aggravated by prolonged walking.

It's important to speak to your doctor or other healthcare professional about any new symptoms you may have. Vasculitis can cause tiredness, and it's important to rest when you need to.

Take rest days: Travelling and keeping busy everyday is tiring for a generally healthy person, let alone someone with an autoimmune disease. So remember to take rest days where appropriate and rest during the day when needed. Listen to your body and read your symptoms, ALWAYS.

Vasculitis is a rare condition that can be difficult to diagnose, however, many people with vasculitis recover and go on to live healthy, normal lives. Proper diagnosis and effective treatment are critical to prevent long-term or significant damage to the body and affected organs.