You know what’s worse than not going on a vacation, going on one when you’re unable to enjoy the getaway. Picture this, you are on your trip and as you are strolling down the street and/or beach you notice that something just doesn’t feel right, like literally your stomach begins churning, but you’re quite sure you didn’t consume anything questionable or spicy. Now you’re just spending your time sitting on the toilet bowl wishing you that if you are going to suffer it would’ve been better to do it in the comfort of your own home meanwhile not even knowing how it had come to be or why at all.
But alas, you are here now and there could be no greater pleasure for me to tell you that this will never happen to you…. probably. Well if you know what to avoid when it comes to these matters and how to go about it which is what this article is all about. So here are a few ways on how to avoid common travel illness.
Travelers Diarrhea
Although not exactly a disease it affects quite a few travelers and it is truly unpleasant for a person to be spending most of their vacation on a toilet seat. According to the Centre for Disease Control, Traveller’s Diarrhea affects 50% of international jet setters. Symptoms include cramps, frequent trips to the loo, fever, loss of appetite and dehydration.
The primary cause is the contamination of water and food. Try to avoid things like ice cubes, raw fruit and vegetables or anything that looks suspicious. If you’re visiting somewhere with an uncertain water source, consider using treatment (or iodine) tablets in your drinking water. This is one of the basic ways on how to avoid common travel illnesses because it help grow healthier habits during travel.
Jet Lag
Jet lag is not actually classified in the “sickness” category entirely but it does affect our physical state due to us being mentally exhausted due to crossing time zones which disturbs our sleep-wake cycle. Since all travelers are subject to this torture, some of the ways to avoid it are to get a good long rest before departure, make a few adjustments in your sleep time for the time zone you intend to travel to, and keep a healthy lifestyle with good food and exercise.
Also, upon arrival at a country with a different time zone, keep moving around until it is time to sleep and stay out in the sun as much as possible while eating at the time the locals eat and follow their schedule. The light and the food will help your body condition itself to the regular cycle for eating as well as sleeping for faster adaptation to the time zone.
The Flu
Regardless of travel the flu usually is introduced to everyone at some point in our lives without discrimination. Now if you don’t presently have it means that you have somewhat of an immunity towards it, however, it’s immunity towards the flu in your area. The flu virus in other areas are different and may be more potent or works differently, thus the best plan to avoid such an issue is vaccination.
Receiving vaccination for yourself benefits tremendously because it will also aid you in your day-today activities and avoids yourself having to carry a tissue around wiping your nose at all times. It takes a few weeks to build your immunity, so get vaccinated as soon as the idea of travelling invades your mind, be vigilant about hand washing, especially if you are traveling on crowded planes or buses.
Altitude Sickness
Going up a mountain quickly can cause this common travel illness because your body isn’t used to the lower oxygen levels at higher elevations. Depending on the individual, altitudes at or above 4,000 feet can trigger shortness of breath, muscle pain, and headache. Difficulty sleeping is another common symptom.
Taking a drug called acetazolamide a day before your trip and for the first few days can prevent this travel sickness. However, if you’re allergic to sulfa drugs, you can’t take it. Avoid alcohol, drink plenty of water, and don’t overdo physical activity the first day. If you feel very ill, seek medical attention.
Motion Sickness
There are many ways in which motion sickness is gotten such as travelling by car, boat, and plane, but what exactly causes it and how does one avoid it. Well, motion sickness happens when your inner ears and other senses detect motion, but your eyes don’t. These mixed signals reach the brain and trigger dizziness which leads to nausea and vomiting.
So, if you’re on a boat, head up on deck and have a view of the horizon and if you’re in a car have a seat in the front, this enables the coordination of the eyes and other senses to align. Prescribed medicine is available as well as effective, but its best to visit the doctor to because they would know what is best.
Sunburn
It’s all wonderful to be bathing under the warm rays of the sun on the planes of a beautiful beach which may be the ideal vacation for most people but a harsh sunburn could cause your trip to be a lot harder to enjoy. Sunburns occur when the sun beams get too hot and are penetrating your skin, your skin cells react and commit mass suicide just to keep you safe in order to protect you.
To be safe, take along a sunscreen and a lip balm with SPF 30 or higher and it should say broad spectrum or UVA+UVB on the label. In the event you are burned, apply moisturizer, drink water, and stay out of the sun until your skin heals.
Bug Bites
Now these bites are arguably more dangerous than a bite from our not-so friendly dog in the neighbourhood. Mosquitoes are carriers of many virus’ that could seriously cripple our health and possibly cause death, among the many are malaria, dengue, chikugunya, lyme, zika and much more. You can catch Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever from a tick bite. So, to avoid such horrible fates precautions must be taken such as wearing clothes that provide maximum coverage over the body and try to avoid going out in the evening or early mornings when mosquitoes are most active. The use of insect repellent items is a huge advantage and you could possibly save a life of another as well.
If you intend to travel internationally more attention has to be put forth into preventing unwanted circumstances, do your own research on how to avoid common travel illnesses pertaining the country of visit and what is its most known diseases. Visit your primary care physician or a travel clinic to make sure you are updated on required immunizations for your destination. If you need vaccinations, it is recommended to get them at least two weeks before traveling so you can build up immunity.
Also, perhaps as a safety measure, you may consider getting Allianz Travel Care to safeguard yourself against these travel illnesses! With Allianz Travel Care, you may claim for medical expenses benefit of up to RM300,000 if you happen to be hospitalized in any of the hospitals worldwide to treat these illnesses urgently. You will never have to worry about forking out emergency medical expenses while traveling, again.
Read more about Allianz Travel Care, this comprehensive travel product now!
