Travel medicine, in addition to preventing threats caused by viruses and bacteria, carefully assesses the impact of travel on the body, including changes in climate, diet, time zones, etc. By assessing overall health, medical specialists identify situations that may lead to potential health problems.
- Pre-travel stress:
Almost everyone has experienced it before a trip. Stress can cause abdominal cramps, diarrhea or constipation, and headaches. Anxiety about unexpected events can raise blood pressure, which is especially dangerous for people with hypertension or the elderly. - Time zone changes
lead to sleep rhythm disturbances, which causes fatigue, headaches, weakens the body, making it more susceptible to viral and bacterial infections. - Air travel
places a strain on the circulatory and respiratory systems. Contraindications to air travel include acute circulatory and respiratory failure, angina pectoris, a recent heart attack, hypertension, anemia, and pregnancy beyond the 35th week. - Diet:
Raw or semi-raw foods, such as vegetables, fruit, seafood, and water, are potential sources of infection. The list of foodborne illnesses is long, so you should consume only heat-treated foods. In some cases (food allergies, gastrointestinal conditions), it is necessary to exercise greater caution and follow specific medical recommendations. - Sexually transmitted diseases
include primarily AIDS, hepatitis B and C, but also the ever-present syphilis, gonorrhea, scabies, and the quite common genital herpes and chlamydia. Vaccination protects against some of these diseases, while others can only be prevented by maintaining a hygienic lifestyle and avoiding casual sexual contact. - Infectious diseases.
The situation varies greatly across countries. The most common infectious diseases are hepatitis A and B, tetanus, diphtheria, polio, typhoid fever, yellow fever, malaria, and tick-borne meningitis. The only effective preventive measures are vaccinations, and in the case of malaria, medication regimens prescribed by a physician. The choice of vaccinations depends on the region of the country, the duration of stay, the immune status, the nature of the trip, and the type of activities undertaken.
