Stay Healthy As You Travel - Basic Tips

Traveling to different climates and environments abroad can expose you to disease and health risks. You should be aware of the dangers and how to stay healthy.
Diseases which aren’t present in the your home town such as yellow fever, malaria, rabies and dengue fever are common in some areas of the world.

Vaccinations and immunizations

Visit your Health Department local clinic as soon as possible to check if you need any vaccinations or other preventive measures (such as malaria tablets).
Remember, these treatments aren’t usually available as prescriptions though can be bought without one in certain countries.  Be aware from counterfeit medicine.

General travel health tips

• take out comprehensive travel insurance or you could face a huge medical bill if you fall ill and need treatment. The coverage should be based on your travel style.
• if you are from Europe, you might want to consider a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to entitle you to free or discounted healthcare in European countries
• check the health section of our country travel advice before you travel
• take enough medication for your whole trip and any unexpected delays. Keep in mind that medicine has expiration date so don't take too much. You can always buy more wherever you are.
  
• drink plenty of water in hot climates to avoid dehydration
• be safe in the sun - use a high-factor sunscreen and avoid excessive sunbathing between 10am - 4pm
• find out the local emergency services numbers and the number of the local hospital
• practice safe sex - take condoms with you as quality varies in different countries. HIV and Aids, and other sexually transmitted diseases can be caught worldwide.

Long-distance journeys

• don’t wear tight clothing on long-distance journeys
• do regular stretching exercises such as flexing and extending your ankles to avoid circulation problems
• walk round at regular intervals on long flights
• drink plenty of water on flights and avoid drinking too much alcohol.

Consult your doctor before long-distance travel if you:

• are pregnant or have given birth in the last 6 months
• have a history of blood disorders, deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism
• are taking hormonal medication (including the contraceptive pill)
• have cancer, heart problems or have recently had surgery.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition

• tell your travel insurer about your condition
• ask your doctor how the trip might affect you
• check local conditions such as climate and pollution levels and consider how you might be affected
• carry a doctor’s letter and a copy of any prescriptions
• make sure you take enough medical supplies for the duration of your stay and any unexpected delays. Medical supplies may be subject to supply constraints in some countries and in remote areas
• ensure your medication is legal in the country you are visiting – contact the embassy of the country to which you are travelling and see the NaTHNaC and NHS Choices websites for further information
• learn key words and phrases in the local language for your condition, medication and emergency help
• take the same precautions you normally would in your country if you weren’t going to be at home for a while
• if you suffer from a mental illness you should be aware that facilities and local attitudes to mental health problems may differ from those at home. Do some research before you go.

Good luck!


Article by http://www.fco.gov.uk
Image courtesy of Ambro at FreeDigitalPhotos.net