Getting sick when you’re on a trip and away from home can be worrying, and a little more unpleasant than usual. You can’t take a nap on your favorite couch in your favorite blankie as you would at home, and you also can’t enjoy the comforting company of your family while the sickness lasts.
So, what should you do when you get sick on vacation? Let’s find out.
-
Stop Everything and Take a Rest
In a lot of instances, the sickness can go away in its starting phases if you stop everything and just take a rest. If you get a cold, just wrap yourself up, get a hot cup of tea (or coffee, whatever suits you), and just lie down.
Of course, this applies if you’ve already reached your destination. If you’re still en route, you can just do the same…without the hot tea and coffee.
Source: Unsplash
Taking a rest can work well even for sicknesses other than a slight cold i.e., headaches, nausea, fever, etc.
-
Listen to Your Symptoms
Assuming that the sickness lingers even after you’ve slept on it, look at what your symptoms tell you. If you just have some sneezes or coughs, you can tough it out yourself instead of going to a doctor. Depending on what your symptoms are, you’ll just need to take some precautions (like avoiding cold and sour stuff if you have a cold).
But if your symptoms are more severe and diverse like sneezes, coughs, rising temperature, and jitters, then you should seek medical help. You can easily find good doctors at your travel sites by running some searches online. You can also take help from the hotels you’re staying at.
-
Keep Yourself Hydrated and Well-Fed
If you want to tough out the sickness yourself, you need to give your body the strength to deal with it. You probably won’t feel like eating and drinking a lot when you get sick but you have to nourish yourself properly.
Source: Unsplash
When you don’t feel like eating during a sickness, here are some foodstuffs that you can try to keep yourself full:
- Rice
- Noodles
- Soups
- Oatmeal
- Cut fruit (that doesn’t irritate the sickness itself)
- Cereal
It’s not really recommended to try hot and spicy foods, especially if you’re dealing with a stomach-related sickness. Bland stuff is suitable when you’re feeling under the weather. Your body will be less likely to…send it back up, to be polite.
-
Get in Touch with Your Doctor
While you won’t be able to visit your usual doctor when you’re a couple of flights away from home, there’s nothing stopping you from giving them a call and letting them know about your condition. You’ll be able to get useful advice about what to do and what not to do.
Source: Unsplash
This is, by the way, a perk that you can enjoy more liberally if your doctor happens to be a family member or a close friend.
Conclusion
And that’s about it. These are some things that you can do when you get sick when traveling.
When traveling, it’s always a good idea to pack some precautionary paraphernalia that you can use in the event of getting sick. If you have a condition, you should carry the necessary medication and also inform your travel agency about it (i.e., the condition).
Educating your co-travelers about any condition you may have is also vital. This way, in case of an emergency, you will be able to get proper treatment.
Over and above all, the main thing you should remember is that, unless it’s due to an urgent need or some last minute travel arrangement, you should make your plans when you’re fit and healthy. Minor sicknesses can get aggravated during travel, and it’s best not to take risks.