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Travel, especially to new places or abroad, can be exciting and fun. Unfortunately, often trips planned well in advance are ruined due to various health problems that develop during the trip. Yet there are a number of strategies that can help you avoid missing out on long anticipated travel activities.
Pay Attention to These Tips Before Leaving
- Learn about available health care where you are traveling to.
- Take enough medication for the entire trip. It can be difficult to obtain a new prescription from a physician who is unfamiliar with your history. Additionally, certain medications without a written prescription and therefore cannot be called in by your home physician.
- Research online pharmacies if traveling to a location that has a high incidence rate of specific illnesses rarely seen in your country of origin. Medications for health problems infrequently diagnosed where you live can be hard or even impossible to find. Online pharmacies are prepared to supply such medications. Make sure to check the specific online pharmacy with your physician or pharmacist to ensure it is reliable.
- Take a first aid kit with you. This can help avoid the need to seek medical attention for minor problems, which are easily treatable with standard first aid remedies.
- Before purchasing medical travel insurance, make sure you are not already covered through your regular medical insurance policy. Read your policy carefully to understand what it covers to determine if you need any additional coverage such as medical emergency assistance.
How to Keep the Pep in Your Step
- Exercise throughout the duration of your trip. This will improve circulation and decrease fatigue. If traveling by plane, walk around every hour or so to increase circulation and prevent blood clots from forming. Exercise will also counter the effects of a poorly regulated diet, a common problem that occurs during travel.
- Drink plenty of fluids and avoid overeating to prevent dehydration and excessive consumption from affecting your health.
- Limit or avoid alcohol intake as it can disrupt your sleep. Sleep deprivation is a common cause of physical illness and altered mood.
Common Travel Ailments and Simple Methods to Prevent or Treat Them
Changes in climate, atmospheric pressure and altitude can trigger nosebleeds. The recommended method for stopping a nosebleed is to lean forward while pinching the nostrils together. Ice can be applied if available.
Many travellers experience headaches when traveling. Headaches that develop during travel are often the result of poor air quality and can be helped with over the counter pain relievers taken prior to departure. Headaches experienced during a trip can result from dehydration, poor nutrition and lack of sleep, and thus can be treated by attending to these factors.
Another common health concern that occurs when traveling is stomach problems. Gastrointestinal problems are most often caused by motion sickness, poor eating habits, and impurities in the water. Motion sickness can be treated with medication taken prior to departure. Eating habits can be altered as necessary to improve nutrition. Water impurities can be filtered out using one of the many travel purifiers on the market.
While health related concerns are common when traveling, many problems are easily avoidable or can often be treated with simple remedies. With preparation and attention to details, you can increase your ability to remain healthy while traveling.
