Little Fish Travel : World Trips : Trip Helpers : Health

Trip Helpers : Health

Sickness or injury can ruin a trip. Diarrhoea, flu, just any time in bed with illness is horrid when you are in a foreign country. All you want is your own bed and comforts, but the hostel bed with a toilet down the hall can seem like a living hell.

But everyone gets ill sometime and there's very little you can do once it strikes. So the aim here is to get healthy again quickly, and the good news is that with a little action you can be well prepared to achieve this.

Disclaimer :

The information described here is not provided by a doctor or other medical professional. Always seek the advice of your doctor in relation to all matters concerning health. The information here is provided by a lay person with zero medical experience and is provided "as is". If you are to use this advice it is entirely at your own risk.

First Aid KitMosquito & Insect BitesInjectionsMalaria

First Aid Kit

World Traveller First Aid Kit : Buy off
the shelf or make your own.

Taking a basic first aid kit on your trip is just common sense. Now you can buy the ready made variety complete with a plastic box and a first aid logo, but you will pay extra for having it pre-assembled. I personally would advise making your own. All you need is a container, a plastic box like a lunch box or a spare toiletries bag will do and ideally the container should be water-proof, but it's not essential. Then just visit your chemist, fill your basket with the items below and then you'll have your own home made first aid kit. It'll probably be cheaper than the ready made one, and at least it'll contain supplies that you are likely to reach for in your moment of need.

So, for a home made first aid kit, you should consider having the following items :

Pain Killers

Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, etc. What ever your preferred choice of pain killer take a good supply with you.

Plasters

Take lots of different sizes.

Gauze Squares

Bandage

You may also want to consider an elasticated support bandage too. This is handy if you frequently suffer from ankle or wrist strains and may need support (i.e. if planing on doing a lot of walking).

Bandage Tape

Small Scissors

For cutting tape & bandages.

Tweezers

Great for removing splinters.

Safety Pins

For securing bandages.

Antiseptic Wipes

Antiseptic Cream

Migraine Tablets

Only if you suffer with migraines.

Water Purification Tablets

You may never need them, but if the tap water isn't looking very palatable and it's your only option, then you will be glad you have some purification tablets. Alternatively, there is a product on the market called the iStraw, which is basically a water purification drinking straw. I haven't tried one, but it may be worth considering, you can read more on the iStraw website.

Re-hydration Sachets.

Re-hydration sachets help by restoring the body's natural fluids and salt. Ideal for diarrhoea and general dehydration (and quite good with hangovers apparently).

Diarrhoea Tablets

Diarrhoea and bus journeys are not a good combination. These tablets can help.

Lip Cream

To prevent chapped lips.

Bite Remedies

Please see the Mosquito & Insect Bites tab above.

Not all countries have the same drugs, but they do tend to have variations of them. For example, 2 such tablets that seem popular with Canadians are Gravol and Advil. Gravol appears to be a wonder drug that helps you sleep and prevents travel sickness. Advil is used to fight cold and sinus problems. If your country has similar remedies, then don't hesitate to add them to your first aid kit. These items are usually lightweight, so anything that can fix you up is always a welcome addition.

If the concept of collating all this still fills you with dread, then a very good first aid kit is available to buy from Walkabout Travel Gear*

For an abridged printer friendly list of the first aid kit items complete with bite remedies, please visit The Check Lists .

Mosquito & Insect Bites

It's not just mosquitoes, it might be other insects (ants being a favourite), but either way, getting bit, at it's best can be uncomfortable and at it's worse can lead to very serious problems - just see the Malaria tab above for details of a potentially fatal disease. But I don't want to scare with horror stories, I want you to be prepared to fight the mozzies and alike. To do so I recommend you take the following :

Mosquito \ Insect Repellent

Be proactive and spray yourself with repellent before you go out. Products containing 'deet' seem to be highly rated, so if you haven't already, try one of these.

A bug repellent with 100% deet is available to buy from Walkabout Travel Gear*

Bite Relief Cream

If the insect monster has got you then apply cream to sooth swelling and itching. Antihistamine is a common ingredient with these creams, so if this is promoted on the bottle then it should help with the relief.

Bite Cooling Pen

Pen shaped, so small and handy to carry. These offer different ingredients (often high in Ammonia) to the creams so depending on the type of bite they can really make a difference by cooling and soothing the infected area.

Cover Up

This is easy to do, yet often forgotten. Wear long sleeve shirts and long trousers and you make it harder for mosquitoes to reach your skin and bite you. Sunset and sunrise is the prime time to get bit and as the lack of sun tends to keep the temperature down, it makes it less of an issue to wear such clothes.

Allergy Tablets (like the brand Piriton)

If bites simply come and go on you then you probably don't need this. However, if like me, some bites cause a reaction, become inflamed and grow much larger than normal, then you may want to take some allergy tablets with you. Allergy tablets can help to contain a bite and prevent it from reaching that nasty stage.

Allergy tablets can help to contain a bite and prevent it from reaching that nasty stage.

Some Unproven Alternative Remedies

Some advice regarding mosquito bites isn't particularly scientific and isn't guaranteed to work for everyone. It may be an old wifes tale or a high tech solution, but I think it best to let you the reader decide, so here are a few unproven tips to help deter the insects :

Avoid perfumes and other smelling deodorants. Apparently this is appealing to the insect world, so it's best not to wear them.
Avoid sweet alcoholic drinks. Having sweet drinks (like Bacardi) in your system can also make you more attractive to mosquitoes, allegedly.
Take Vitamin B tablets. I was told in good faith that taking vitamin B tablets can help prevent you from getting bit. Apparently having the recommended daily amount of Vitamin B in your system makes you less tasty to mosquitoes. And you have to take them before you reach your destination so that your body is fully loaded. If you are going to try this, then you may as well use a multi vitamin tablets, as these often contain the same amount of the B vitamins as those found purely in vitamin B complexes.
Are you one of those people who doesn't feel the cold and is generally quite warm? Well apparently mosquitoes love you. Now again, this isn't scientific, but apparently those of us with a warmer body temperature tend to get bit more than those of us that feel the cold and generally run a few degrees cooler. Not that you can change this, it's just bizarre!
Use an electronic keychain zapper. These are typically called "Digital Mosquito Repeller Keychain" or "Frequency Hopping Ultrasonic Mosquito Repeller Keychain". These appear to work for some people and are reasonable priced, typically less than $5 USD, so it's probably worth buying a couple and seeing if they'll work for you.

I'd recommend to put the bold items from the first list in your first aid kit, as for the others, they could be total balderdash. But if you happen to try an alternative remedy and it works, then great, because less bites is always a good thing.

For an abridged printer friendly list of the first aid kit items, complete with bite remedies, please visit The Check Lists .

Injections

If injections aren't your thing then you may struggle with the next section because a trip around the world involves getting lots of injections before you leave. Vaccinations are an absolute necessity because you are visiting countries where viruses and diseases may be far more prominent than what you are used to in your own country.

There's a small amount of research to do, but it'll be worth it in the end. The first thing to do is to make a list of all the countries you are planning on visiting and even include the countries that you only might visit. Now have a look at the list of possible vaccinations below :

Yellow Fever
Typhoid
Tetanus
Diphtheria
Polio
Meningitis
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Japanese B Encephalitis
Rabies
Tick-Borne Encephalitis
Cholera

On a typical round the world trip you could easily require 5 vaccinations. And to make matters worse some require a course of 3 injections or "doses" per vaccine. You have 2 options to determine which vaccines you require, but I'm going to recommend that you do both. This may seem like a lot of leg work, but with injection costs at around £40 (approx. $80 USD)* per dose this is an important and costly business.

You also want to be aware that if you don't have proof of certain vaccines then you may be refused entry into a country. For example, if you enter Brazil from another South American country then they have every right to ask to see your Yellow Fever certificate as proof that you have had the jab. If you cannot produce this, then they can, by law, refuse entry.

...with injection costs at around £40 (approx. $80 USD)* per dose this is an important and costly business.

OK, job one is to have a look online and see what you think you will need. I don't want to repeat what's done perfectly well on other sites, but to assist you here are some good sites that explain which jabs you will need for which countries:

http://www.travelturtle.co.uk/ - This site has an excellent tool to help you. You enter the countries you intend to visit, answer a few questions and then you get a list of recommended jabs.
http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/ - Run by the UK's government, this site lists recommended injections based on destination.
http://www.nathnac.org/ - This site also offers recommendations, but it requires a few more clicks to get to the country you're interested in.
http://www.traveldoctor.co.uk/ - UK Based and very comprehensive.

With the help of these sites and your list of countries you should be able to work out which vaccines you will need. Armed with your new list you are sufficiently prepared for your next task : visiting your doctor and local travel clinic.

Your doctor is worth a visit first as they may be able to provide some vaccinations free of charge. The UK's Health Service will typically give free injections for : Tetanus, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Diphtheria and Typhoid. They will also give free impartial advice as to which other vaccines to have. For the remaining injections you will have to visit a specialist travel clinic. Prices can vary from clinic to clinic so don't be afraid to call for a quote first. Also, they may not do all the jabs you need, so that's also worth checking before you go.

As a guide, please see the list of approximate UK prices* below:

Yellow Fever £40.00 ($80 USD)
Typhoid £30.00 ($30 USD)
Tetanus/Diphtheria/Polio £28.00 ($56 USD)
Meningitis £40.00 ($80 USD)
Hepatitis B Course = 3 doses at £33.00 ($66 USD) per dose
Hepatitis A Course = 2 doses at £47.00 ($94 USD) per dose
Japanese B Encephalitis Course = 3 doses at £40.00 ($80 USD) per dose
Rabies IM Course = 3 doses at £40.00 ($80 USD) per dose
Tick-Borne Encephalitis Course = 2 doses at £62.00 ($124 USD) per dose
Cholera Course = 2 doses at £27.00 ($54 USD) per dose

If you don't have the time to do the Internet research yourself, then many travel clinics will offer a consultation service. You tell them where you are going, for how long and the type of areas you are staying (urban, countryside etc.) and with this they can then recommend which vaccines to have.

And remember, getting your injections is not something that can be left till the last minute. You may need several vaccines and they may require several doses, often with a week or two between shots. This means in practise it could take a couple of months to get all your jabs. Once you know when and where you are going on your round the world trip, then the sooner you speak to your doctor the better.

* All prices correct as of summer 2008.

Malaria

There is lots of information online about Malaria, consequently I will try to highlight the most common points in the following FAQ. The answers are deliberately brief and if you want to know more, visit your doctor, search online or see the links at the end of this section.

What is Malaria?

Malaria is a disease that is transmitted by an infected mosquito.
Can it kill me?

Yes, if left untreated Malaria can be fatal. It is however preventable if treated.
How do I catch it?

You can catch the disease by a single mosquito bite.
Where do I catch It?

Malaria exists in over 100 countries. Large areas of Central and South America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, the Indian subcontinent, far East, Southeast Asia, and Oceania are considered malaria-risk areas. You should check each country you are going to and see if you will be at risk. Just because you are going to a country that has malaria doesn't mean you are automatically at risk. Malaria may only exist in certain areas of a country, for example, if you are not visiting rural areas then you may not be at risk. Always check each country for specific details, see http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/ for advice on countries.
OK, I'm visiting an area with Malaria, what can I do to help myself?
- Try not to get bit. See the Mosquito & Insect Bites tab above..
- Take antimalarials (see point 6 below). No vaccines exist to prevent malaria, but taking antimalarial tablets can greatly reduce the chance of contracting Malaria.
- Know what to look for to diagnose Malaria (see point 7 below).
What are antimalarials?

Antimalarials are medicines (usually tablets) you can take to reduce the chance of contracting malaria. No antimalarial is 100% effective. Two common antimalarials are described below, however, a person must discuss with their doctor or travel clinic which drugs to take as this depends heavily on the individual. Alternatives may be suitable and side-effects, which can be severe, must be considered by a medical professional.
- Mefloquine (Lariam)
  Mefloquine is a prescription only medicine. Some people have reported a temporary problem which interferes with the way the brain works (neuropsychiatric disorder), causing symptoms such as anxiety and depression. You shouldn't take it if you have experienced a psychiatric illness in the past or have epilepsy. Common side-effects include dizziness, headache, tummy upsets and sleep disorders.
- Doxycycline
  Doxycycline (Vibramycin) can cause diarrhoea, thrush and heartburn. Doxycycline may also make your skin more sensitive to the sun, so a high factor sun screens should be used with it. If you take the combined oral contraceptive pill you should take extra contraceptive precautions for the first month of taking Doxycycline.
Obviously neither antimalarial drug sounds particularly wonderful, but the side-effects are the lesser of two evils, as Malaria is potentially fatal.

Obviously neither antimalarial drug sounds particularly wonderful, but the side-effects are the lesser of two evils, as Malaria is potentially fatal.
What are the symptoms of Malaria?

A person with Malaria may have feverish attacks and experience influenza like symptoms. Diarrhoea, tiredness and other feelings of ill health can exist too. A Malaria mental alarm bell should ring if these symptoms occur within a year of visiting a place of risk. Early detection is vital, so if you are unsure then you should contact your doctor and arrange a test immediately.

A Malaria mental alarm bell should ring if these symptoms occur within a year of visiting a place of risk.

For more information on malaria please see the following links: