There are few things worse than traveling while sick. No one wants to spend the money to book flights and hotels in order to get sick right before, or during their travels. I know this struggle all too well. I am blessed not to have motion sickness but I have caught stomach bugs, had heat sensitivity, and also had food poisoning. The struggle is all too real. Have no fear though. Traveling Black Spinster is here. The following are my tips and tricks for traveling while sick.
Preventative measures
There are a few things that I do before I travel and while I travel to prevent being sick. One of my first tips is to take Vitamin C. Vitamin C is not a cure all but it is something that I will take frequently before I travel and at the first sign of being sick. There are Vitamin C tablets and also products such as EmergenC.
I often will also begin to change up my diet before travel. I will try to add immune boosting foods. It’s good to eat a bit cleaner than before to avoid feeling bogged down before travel starts.
I always make sure to carry some wipes with me. Never leave home without your wipes. Many stores such as CVS or Target will even sell them in the travel size. I personally buy full size since they aren’t banned by TSA. When I get on the plane or arrive to my hotel I will wipe down certain surfaces. Those trays and arm rest for sure need a small wipe down. Especially with airlines that will do a quick turnover of flights (Spirit), I will make sure to wipe things down.
You never know how many people have actually been on that plane. Whenever I get to the hotel I will wipe down door handles, telephones, and light switches. Housekeeping will change the sheets but that doesn’t mean that they are cleaning every inch of the hotel room.
I will keep a face guard in my travel bag. Have you ever been on a plane where your neighbor won’t stop coughing? I have no shame in putting on a mask to block out inhaling the other germs. If you get it from behind you can also keep some face wipes to wipe down your arms and neck.
I haven’t yet mentioned the importance of wiping down your personal media devices. After sitting in the airport terminals, on planes, in random cars, and different restaurants you never know what is on your phone, ipod, or tablet. Take a few minutes to wipe down your devices, especially if they go near your face.
Sleep and hydration are king
I talk about hydration in practically every post. You can’t underestimate the importance of keeping your body hydrated. Dehydration can cause many health and safety issues when traveling. Many people will experience diarrhea, vomiting, muscle cramps, and headaches. I am not a doctor by any means though.
What I do know is that there are a multitude of reasons to stay hydrated. One of them is flushing out your system through its natural filtration system, is a great way to get rid of germs in the body. If you are hydrated you can rule out one thing regarding being sick. If you are sensitive to the heat or elevation it is important to keep fluids in your body.
Sleep is a great preventative measure to take. If you are exhausted then travel is going to hit your body hard. Getting an adequate amount of sleep is the best way to give your body rest and to rejuvenate yourself.
Bed REst
I once got sick while I was in Las Vegas. I believe that I caught something on the plane and by the end of my first night I was pretty sick. In the end I spent the rest of my time wrapped in blankets, sweating, and locked inside of my hotel. I made sure that I ate “bland” food including bananas, toast, rice, and Jello, that I was able to find at Walgreens. Now this is in no way the optimal way to spend a vacation but the one day that I tried to go out it all fell apart. I spent most of the time sweating heavily and leaning against buildings.
If you have a few days in a specific location then it may behove you to spend a day or so laying in bed to regain your strength. You don’t want to push past your boundaries and get more sick.
Finding Medical Services
Make sure that you always know the number to emergency services in whatever country you are in. In many cases this will be “999” but that isn’t a guarantee. If you are in the US then it is “911.” If you find yourself in a situation where your health or you safety is at risk then you can always make the attempt of contacting emergency services.
There is always a chance of being able to go to a clinic. Medical tourism is a thing and there are several countries such as Cuba, Mexico, and Turkey that actually have the infrastructure to give medical help to tourists. In these countries you are more likely to find someone who can speak English and understand what is wrong with you.
It is a great idea to download Google Translate on your phone. Also make sure you look up a few phrases about your illness before going to any sort of medical procedure is performed on you. Also make sure that if you are given any sort of medication that you fully understand what it does. Make sure that you do your own internet research regarding names, quality, and also ingredients.
Take Medication with you
I always make sure to take Tylenol, Benadryl (or some sort of allergy medication), my own toothpaste and also my own feminine products. As TLC says “stick to the rivers you are used to.” If there are medications that you are used to taking then you should bring those with you. You never know what ingredients or materials that other countries use in their products.
I know a woman who purchased tampons in another country and the brand ended up giving her a terrible infection. I have seen other countries carry American products but they are quite expensive. It’s easier to make sure that you have a bit of you own. This way you can deal with a headache, stomach bug, or minor allergic reaction on your own.
have an emergency fund
One of my friends had a mother who frequently traveled. On one of her trips she broke her foot. As a result she walked around China with a broken foot. She didn’t want to go to a Chinese hospital. This in no way is what I suggest people do. If you end up having a serious issue and can still travel then always keep enough money to go home if you need to. If you have travel insurance you should be able to get reimbursed for missing your return flight.
Motion Sickness
I have been blessed to not have to deal with motion sickness. However, I know so many people that do. Did you know that ginger is a natural cure for motion sickness? If you have this issue, then you may want to get some ginger candies that you can keep in your bag like cough drops. You can also purchase Dramamine or the motion sickness bracelets.
I am a big fan of natural ways of curing an illness. If you are like me, then you know how amazing essential oils are. If you aren’t sensitive to smells you may want to try ginger, peppermint, or lavender oils to ease motion sickness. There are also a couple of studies that have found Vitamin B6 will reduce nausea.
The food you eat is very important. If you suffer from motion sickness it is advisable to avoid greasy, fatty, or spicy foods. It is best to try to eat something before travel, but it should be foods that agree with you. I luckily am not much of a drinker. If you can avoid having lots of alcohol or maybe any alcohol prior to your flights then it can be a real benefit and perhaps help to prevent sickness from setting in.
My last tip is to put down the tablet and other media devices. Visually induced motion sickness is real. There is a chance that the video game or kindle reader is making your illness worse. If you are really looking for a distraction you can look into music therapy. Try to find some sort of music that will relax you and ease your motion sickness.
There you have it! There are at least 15 different tips and trips on traveling while sick.