Travel health is not just about reducing the risk of infectious diseases. It is also about minimizing the risk of other problems like a sudden heart attack or stroke. Therefore, fitness assessment is especially vital for those engaged in adventure sports like scuba diving, mountaineering, cycling, white water rafting, and more.
Finally, travel health may also mean post-journey health assessment and care. For example, some may return from a journey feeling unwell, and doctors specializing in travel health can more readily diagnose the condition.
Travel and vaccination
When travelling, one should do sufficient research regarding the health issues in that place, epidemiological conditions, prevalent infections, climate, and more. Then, after considering various factors, one should also inquire about necessary vaccines.
Vaccination is one of the best ways to protect oneself from different infections. However, one should get vaccinated a few weeks before travelling. Thus, experts recommend consulting doctors about six weeks before starting travelling.
Some of the vaccines to consider before travelling to various places are:
- Yellow fever vaccine
- Typhoid, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio, Japanese Encephalitis vaccines
- Rabies
- Hepatitis A & B
- Other vaccines like pneumococcal, influenza, polio, oral cholera, and more.
Additionally, one should also learn about malaria prevention. Generally, doctors can prescribe drugs that can help prevent malaria.
Other factors to consider when travelling
When you get out of your place of residence, you are getting out of your comfort zone. This puts undue stress on the body. Moreover, some people plan to spend their holidays actively, like hiking, scuba diving, and more.
Doctors can carry out pre-travel health assessments to prevent serious events. Quite often, people are not aware of their health condition. However, they may develop some severe health issues during periods of stress. However, general health check-ups may help reduce any such risk. It may help prevent severe issues like heart arrest or some severe respiratory problems.
Optimizing for known medical conditions
Nowadays, so many people are living with chronic health issues like diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, asthma, and other health problems. It is good to consult our specialists when living with any such disease. They can make changes to existing prescriptions. They may also provide various health advice and may even consider some prophylaxis.
For example, suppose a person is living with asthma and planning to hike with a friend. In that case, doctors may educate regarding emergencies and how to manage them and may even provide medications that may help avert any severe respiratory issue.
Similarly, when travelling with diabetes, doctors may make some dietary recommendations. They might also provide some educational materials and more.
