When travelling abroad, everybody wishes to keep their trips free from sickness. Here are some tips to help you prepare for an enjoyable and healthy trip:
Many of us suffer from motion sickness, whether travelling on land, on sea or in the air.
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Simple measures to reduce the likelihood of motion sickness are:
• Choose a good seat if possible, e.g. in the front of the coach.
• Face the direction of travel.
• Focus on the view outside the vehicle rather than read a book.
• Avoid consuming large quantities of fizzy drinks, rich or fatty food just before embarking on the journey.
• Use motion sickness pills. These tablets are often helpful but may cause drowsiness. |
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Travellers who go on long haul flights may experience jet-lag. Jet lag is caused by disruption of the body’s natural rhythm by rapid transition across multiple time zones. The symptoms include sleep disturbance, tiredness and headaches.
To reduce jet lag:
• Choose flights that arrive at your destination near normal bed time; try to go to bed as soon as possible after arrival.
• Prevent dehydration by consuming adequate non-alcoholic drinks and avoid overeating.
• Have a good sleep the night before departure and if possible, avoid in-flight sleep deprivation.
• One or two stopovers on a flight across many time zones may help ease jet lag. |
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It is advisable to bring along one’s own first aid and medical kit. Medications and first aid materials may be expensive even when travelling to places where these are readily available.
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The first aid kit should include bandages, sterile dressing, handiplast, antiseptic cream, simple pain killers such as paracetamol and pills for allergic reactions, motion-sickness and diarrhoea.
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If one has special medical conditions like asthma or certain allergies, it is advisable to wear a medic alert bracelet. Be sure to indicate your blood group on the bracelet.
If you are on regular medication e.g. for diabetes or hypertension, bring along enough medication. It is better to have two sets of medications carried in different luggage bags in case one of the bags goes astray. A letter from the doctor outlining that the medications are for personal use and are essential for your health is highly recommended and may help facilitate custom clearance. |
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Ideally, consult your doctor at least six weeks before departure to allow time for vaccine jabs if needed and assessment of side effects.
• If you are travelling to a place where food and water hygiene is a problem, it is prudent to get vaccinated against Hepatitis A, typhoid and cholera. These are diseases that are contracted if one consumes unclean food or water.
• For travellers heading to certain parts of Africa, the Caribbean, Central and South America, yellow fever vaccination is not only recommended but also mandatory.
• When heading to a malaria prone area, it is advised that you take malaria pills.
As no vaccine or tablet provides 100% protection against a particular disease, it is important to take additional means of staying healthy during the trip.
Common sense should prevail when it comes to eating and drinking.
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• Wash hands before eating (especially if the locals don’t use cutlery).
• Drink bottled water. Never assume that tap water from hotels is drinkable. Contaminated water may also come in the form of ice cubes.
• Take care to prevent dehydration, especially important for the very young and the elderly. Seek medical care if bloody diarrhoea, a fever higher than 38.0°C (100.4°F) or severe symptoms are experienced.
• Peel all fruits before eating.
• Avoid dairy products that are not pasteurized.
• Avoid raw food. |
Malaria bearing Anopheles mosquitoes feed between dusk and dawn and the risk is higher in suburban areas. Any flu-like illness from the second week of travel in a malaria area or up to six weeks after leaving the area could be signs of malaria.
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To avoid insect bites:
• Use a good insect repellent (that is, at least 20% DEET or Diethyltoluamide concentration).
• Do not venture out to the bushes after dusk in a pair of shorts.
• Cover up as much of the body with light colored clothing.
• Use mosquito nets or screens if the accommodation is not air-conditioned. |
By: Dr Ng Chung Wai, Registrar, SingHealth Polyclinics