Few things derail a long awaited vacation like getting sick far from home. Whether it is a stomach bug, a cold, or something more serious, knowing how to handle illness on the road, and preparing ahead of time, can make all the difference between a minor hiccup and a ruined trip.
Why Getting Sick While Traveling Is So Common
Travel puts unusual stress on the body in ways people do not always expect. Time zone changes disrupt sleep patterns and weaken immune function. Airplane cabins recirculate air in close quarters with hundreds of other passengers. New food, untreated water, and unfamiliar environments expose your system to bacteria and viruses it has not encountered before. Add in dehydration from flying, irregular eating, and the general exhaustion of travel days, and it is no surprise that illness strikes more often on vacation than people anticipate.
The most common travel illnesses include upper respiratory infections, traveler’s diarrhea, motion sickness, and in some destinations, illnesses linked to food and water quality. Most are not dangerous, but they can absolutely ruin the experience you planned and paid for if you are not prepared to handle them.
Before You Go: How to Prepare
A little preparation before departure goes a long way toward minimizing disruption if illness does strike.
- Pack a basic travel health kit. Include items like pain relievers, antidiarrheal medication, antihistamines, motion sickness tablets, rehydration packets, a thermometer, and any prescription medications you take regularly. Bring more than you think you will need, since finding familiar medications abroad is not always easy.
- Research your destination’s health risks. Some destinations carry specific risks such as mosquito borne illness or food and water concerns. The CDC’s destination pages are a reliable resource for understanding what precautions are recommended for where you are headed.
- Check whether vaccines or preventive medications are recommended. Certain destinations call for specific vaccines or preventive prescriptions, such as antimalarial medication. This is worth addressing several weeks before departure, since some vaccines require time to become effective.
- Review your health insurance coverage abroad. Many domestic health plans offer limited or no coverage outside the country. Consider travel insurance with a medical component, particularly for international trips or activities with higher injury risk.
- Know where care is available at your destination. A quick search before you leave for the nearest hospital, urgent care, or pharmacy near your accommodations can save valuable time if you need it.
- Bring copies of prescriptions and a list of medications. Keep a written list of your medications, dosages, and any allergies. This is helpful if you need care from a provider unfamiliar with your medical history, and essential if traveling internationally where pharmacy access may differ.
Common Travel Illnesses and What to Do
Traveler’s Diarrhea
This is the most common illness affecting travelers, particularly in destinations with different food and water standards than what your body is used to. Symptoms typically begin within the first week of travel and include frequent loose stools, cramping, and sometimes nausea or low grade fever.
Stay hydrated with water, electrolyte solutions, or oral rehydration packets. Avoid dairy, caffeine, and alcohol until symptoms improve. Over the counter antidiarrheal medication can help manage symptoms for mild cases. Seek medical attention if you notice blood in your stool, a high fever, signs of significant dehydration, or symptoms lasting more than a few days.
Colds and Respiratory Infections
Recirculated airplane air and close contact with large groups of people make respiratory illness common during travel. Rest as much as your itinerary allows, stay hydrated, and use over the counter remedies for symptom relief. If you develop a high fever, difficulty breathing, or symptoms that worsen rather than improve after several days, it is time to seek care.
Motion Sickness
Boats, winding roads, and turbulent flights can trigger nausea and dizziness in susceptible travelers. Over the counter motion sickness medication taken before travel begins is far more effective than treatment after symptoms start. Focusing on a fixed point on the horizon and getting fresh air can help in the moment.
Heat Related Illness
Destinations with unfamiliar climates can catch travelers off guard, especially when sightseeing keeps people outdoors for long stretches. Watch for heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, and nausea, which can signal heat exhaustion. Move to a cool area, hydrate, and rest. Confusion, a high body temperature, or loss of consciousness are signs of heat stroke and require emergency care immediately.
When to Seek Care While Traveling
Most travel illnesses resolve with rest, hydration, and basic symptom management. But certain signs mean it is time to find professional care rather than waiting it out.
Seek medical attention if you have a high fever that does not respond to medication, severe or worsening pain, signs of significant dehydration such as dizziness or a significant decrease in urination, difficulty breathing, confusion, or any symptom that feels significantly different from a typical illness you have experienced before. When in doubt, it is always better to get evaluated than to wait and hope it resolves on its own, particularly if you are far from familiar medical resources.
Tips for Managing Illness Without Losing the Whole Trip
- Build flexibility into your itinerary. Overpacked schedules leave no room to rest if illness strikes. Building in a buffer day or two gives you room to recover without losing the entire trip.
- Do not push through severe symptoms to stick to the plan. Pushing through a high fever or significant illness to make it to a planned activity often extends recovery time and can make things worse. A missed excursion is far easier to recover from than a worsened illness.
- Stay hydrated proactively, not reactively. Dehydration compounds nearly every other travel illness. Drinking water consistently throughout travel days, not just when you feel thirsty, helps your body handle whatever else comes up.
- Know your accommodation’s resources. Many hotels and resorts have relationships with local doctors or can arrange care quickly. Do not hesitate to ask the front desk for help if you need it.
- Keep your travel insurance and embassy information accessible. If you are traveling internationally and something serious happens, having this information readily available, rather than buried in an email somewhere, saves valuable time.
The Easiest Thing You Can Pack
One of the most useful things you can bring on any trip does not take up any space in your luggage. A Tap provider can be reached by text from any eligible location in the United States, which means you have access to a licensed provider even when you are far from home.
Whether it is a question about symptoms, advice on whether to seek local care, or a prescription sent to a pharmacy near your destination, having a doctor just a text away can take a lot of the uncertainty out of getting sick while traveling.
Feeling Sick on Your Trip?
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This article is for general health information only and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice. If you are experiencing a medical emergency while traveling, seek immediate local emergency care.
