Dealing with Illness while On the Road

Nothing takes the edge off an exciting trip that wascarefully planned after reviewing cheaptravel options such as cheap airplane tickets, cheapdeals, discount hotel rooms, discounttravel deals, and cheap vacation packages, onlyto get sick upon reaching your destination.

Getting sick while traveling is far worse that missing aflight or losing your luggage. Flightscan be rebooked and personal items replaced, but your wellbeing cannot. Even if you have completed your pre-traveldoctor appointments and packed all the preventative sanitizers and medicationsyou can think of, the flu or infectious diseases can still result in youmissing a lot of your vacation.

The following are things you can do to make such amisfortune less disruptive, especially if you have travel insurance and a gameplan, according to Shannon McMahon:

Understandyour travel insurance policy. Suchpolicies can prove invaluable if you are traveling abroad where your domesticinsurance policy will not cover you. Travel insurance policies can be signed up for in just a few minutes foras little as a few dollars a day. Theycan save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars given that out of pocketmedical care is not cheap.

Before signing up for travel insurancemake certain that you know its terms. Some policies cover expensive medical related costs such as body castsand flights home, while others only cover emergency room care.

Do notwait and see regarding flu symptoms. It is important to request a doctorsdiagnosis as early as you can if you have debilitating flu symptoms. Waiting to see if you will feel better couldresult in you missing the window for treatment. Medical experts contend that if someone is suffering from the flu,medication given early during an illness can reduce the duration ofsymptoms. Many other illnesses such asmalaria and dengue manifest with fever and aches and often require medicalattention.

Findthe right clinic/doctor to visit at your destination. Experts recommend the International Societyof Travel Medicines website which is home to a Global Travel Clinic Directorythat lists clinics by country based on the type of care they provide, thelanguages spoken by their doctors, and where they are located. Travelers without Internet access should calltheir destinations U.S. embassy for that information. Make certain to save the appropriateDepartment of State phone numbers in your phone before departing on your trip.

Listento your body and follow your doctors advice. While there is a natural temptation to try to maintain your travelplans, when your immune system is under attack recuperating is important. Avoid potentially risky food options such asstreet food, and get plenty of sleep and fluids. Hydration and rest are the best tools to helpyou recuperate in time to finish your trip in good spirits.

Keepyour primary doctor back home informed as to the status of your illness. Although you do not need to call your doctorfrom your destination with updates, you should either email or call as soon asyou have returned from your trip. Yourprimary doctor should be apprised as to your condition in case of any lastingeffects or complications related to other conditions or medications you mighthave.

Anyone returning home ill should see their primary caredoctor as quickly as possible.

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