BEHAVIOR AND TIPS FOR TRAVELING

The scope of the travel pharmacy depends on

• the type of travel: hotel- bathing holiday or trekking tour
• the destination: disease situation, hygiene standard

An individual supplement of the first-aid kit is necessary, if pre-existing conditions exist.
We are happy to put together an individual first-aid kit for you. For this you can also use our “patient information travel pharmacy”.

Important medicines must always be carried in your hand luggage!

In principle, air travel is very gentle and harmless, so that actually everyone is fully airworthy.

In addition to certain chronic diseases with impaired performance of the heart and lungs, only severe acute diseases such as heart attacks or stroke impair the ability to fly.

Severe colds can significantly reduce the ability to balance pressure, which can cause severe pain or even rupture of the eardrum during takeoff and landing. Here nasal drops can be useful as a preventive measure.

When taking medications such as birth control pills or insulin, the time difference during flight must be taken into account.

• Avoid inland waters in the tropics due to a href=”http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schistosomiasis” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>bilharzia danger.r
• Sturdy footwear helps avoid poison bites. Check shoes before putting on clothes!
• Do not touch any road or wild animals. For example, rabies risk!
• Protection against mosquito bites, not only because of the malaria risk.
• Safe sex, as HIV and hepatitis are very common in tropical countries.

Especially at the beginning of your holiday, you should be especially careful in dealing with heat and unaccustomed strong sunlight. Regular use of sunscreen and, if at all, strictly limited sunbathing should be ensured.

The sensitivity to sunlight is individually different and depends on the skin type. Overall, strong radiation always means an additional skin cancer risk and premature aging of the skin.

Heat and sun can also cause drowsiness or even the loss of consciousness. Due to the strong salt and water loss by sweating, circulatory disturbances are not rare. Here it is necessary to go right away to shade or a cool room, in extreme cases the doctor should be informed immediately.

Gastrointestinal disorders are among the most common illnesses, when staying in warm countries and cannot be avoided with certainty. It is necessary to distinguish uncomplicated gastroenteritis (Montezuma’s revenge) from dangerous food-borne diseases such as hepatitis A (infectious jaundice), cholera, typhus, paratyphoid, amoebic dysentery or shigella.

The former takes about 2 to 5 days. Rarely, more than 5 defecations occur per day. Prolonged, severe diarrhea with blood, mucus and fever give cause for concern. A doctor should be consulted.

A drug prevention is not recommended in principle. The best prevention is still an adapted behavior.

The basis of any therapy is the supplementation of the salt-water balance in the organism. Due to high temperatures, diarrhea or vomiting can quickly lead to dangerous dehydration. Signs are increasing circulatory disturbances and incipient disturbances of consciousness with thought disorders. Particularly at risk are children.

In principle, in the tropics you always have to expect that food and drinks can transmit diseases. These include the harmless diarrhea, but also dangerous germs such as amoeba (dysentery), salmonella (typhus), cholera and in particular the hepatitis A virus (infectious jaundice).
The English slogan “cook it, boil it, peel it, or forget it” is still valid. In addition to the uncooked and unpeeled, ice cream or fresh salad (fertilizer!) Should be avoided.

The ice in drinks can also transmit infections.
In the so-called food stalls, the danger is less from the hot food than from the dishes and drinks.

Especially at the beginning of your holiday you should not eat too much and in spite of the temptations of a buffet, you should your food and drinks carefully. The acid barrier of the stomach is the most effective protection against intestinal infections.

Especially in the tropics, alcohol is often used in excess.
As a result, the efficacy of the malaria prophylaxis taken at the same time can be reduced as well.