Travelers should be aware of these illnesses

Posted by: Marjun Gugulan
September 8, 2018

In the course of your vacation, you could get an illness along the way, which could vary from something severe, like malaria, to just irritating one, like mild diarrhea. Some tourists look for complementary health methods to avoid or get rid of these health complications.

Malaria

One of the most severe health concerns facing tourists to many nations is malaria, which you can get when bitten by Anopheles mosquitoes. You require prescription medication, protective clothes, and in some cases mosquito netting to protect yourself from malaria.

There’s no evidence that the “natural remedies” you see advertised for preventing or treating malaria work.

Artemisia (Artemisia annua or Sweet Wormwood) and Quinine

• Two conventional antimalarial drugs are derived from plants: artemisinin from the plant sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua) and quinine from the cinchona tree (Cinchona spp.). They should not be used alone to fight malaria. The medication or medications you would need to prevent or treat malaria depend on your travel destination and your overall health, among other factors. 

Safety:

• The World Health Organization has warned against using the artemisia plant by itself in any form (including tea) for treating or preventing malaria. Its use has contributed to the increase in parasites resistant to drugs made from artemisinin. 
• Travelers should not use quinine to try to prevent or treat malaria on their own. The quinine used to help treat malaria is a prescription medication and is usually combined with other medications as part of a medical treatment plan. There’s no evidence that quinine prevents malaria.

Vitamin and Mineral Supplements

• Taking vitamin A and zinc supplements may help improve malaria symptoms, but only in malnourished children, studies suggest. There’s no evidence that travelers should be taking vitamin A or zinc to prevent or treat malaria.

Safety:

• Large or frequent doses of vitamin A may build up in your body, causing severe side effects. 
• Taking beta-carotene, a form of vitamin A has been linked to increased risks of lung cancer and heart disease in some smokers.
• There can be short- and long-term side effects of taking excess zinc, from nausea to lower immune function. Zinc supplements can also interact with several types of medications. 

Zika

The Zika infection, spread out largely by contaminated mosquitoes, isn't really unsafe to many people. Lots of people infected with the Zika infection do not become sick, as well as those who do commonly have a mild ailment. The virus could be passed from an expectant lady to her fetus, and infection during maternity can create particular serious birth defects. Pregnant women should not travel to areas where there is a Zika outbreak. Having unprotected sex with an infected partner may also pose a risk.

No vaccine or medicine for Zika yet discovered. Some consumer Web sites and YouTube videos claim that herbs or other products, such as activated charcoal and diatomaceous earth, will protect against or treat the Zika virus. There’s no evidence that any complementary health products or practices can protect against the virus or treat an infection. Moreover, most dietary supplements haven’t been tested in pregnant women.

Diarrhea

One of the more typical illnesses dealing with visitors is diarrhea; 30 to 70 percent of tourists, depending upon where and when they travel, get it. You can't escape tourists' diarrhea by just preventing certain foods or neglected water-- you might require over the counter or prescription medications. Although many complementary health items do not appear to assist with tourists' diarrhea, probiotics might be beneficial.

Altitude Illness

Elevation or Altitude illness can take place when you travel to heights that you aren't accustomed to, usually above 8,000 feet. Your body needs time to obtain utilized to the change in oxygen levels. Signs of elevation illness can be mild, such as lightheadedness, loss of hunger, or nausea, however, can also end up being far more severe. There's little, if any, evidence that dietary or herbal supplements can help prevent or deal with altitude illness (likewise described as mountain sickness).

Motion Sickness

Children older than age 2 are the most likely to get motion sickness, but anyone can feel nauseous from the motion of traveling by boat, plane, train, or car. Medications may help prevent nausea but may also have side effects.

Ways To Avoid Motion Sickness

• Sit in the front seat of the car or bus and, if you can, be the driver instead of the passenger.
• In a plane, choose a seat that is over the wing.
• Lie down, shut your eyes, or look at the horizon.
• Stay hydrated, eat small meals, and limit alcohol and caffeinated beverages.
• Distract yourself with music or a pleasant scent.

Complementary health approaches have been studied or advertised for motion sickness but haven’t been shown to work well.

• Acupressure and/or Magnets
• Ginger
• Other Dietary Supplements or Products for Motion Sickness

Nausea and Vomiting (“Morning Sickness”) in Pregnant Travelers

Feeling nauseous or even vomiting when pregnant isn’t unusual.

Following are complementary health approaches studied for morning sickness. 

• Ginger may help ease pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting. Studies suggest ginger is generally safe during pregnancy, but whether it’s always safe for pregnant women isn’t certain. Talk with your health care provider about using ginger (or any dietary supplements) during pregnancy.
• Ginger can have mild side effects such as stomach pain, heartburn, diarrhea, and gas. People with gallstone disease should avoid ginger. Concerns have been raised that ginger might interact with blood thinners. GingerVitamin B6

Jet Lag/Sleep

Jet lag occurs when you travel across time zones and your body’s biological clock hasn’t caught up yet. Jet lag can have different symptoms, such as feeling tired and irritable, having an upset stomach, and having difficulty falling asleep or waking up on time.

          Melatonin

• Melatonin, a hormone our body produces and also available in dietary supplements, may help with jet lag, studies show. Study participants who were given melatonin before air travel across time zones reported having less jet lag than participants who received a placebo.

          Safety:

• People with epilepsy or who take a blood thinner should not use melatonin without medical supervision.
• Taking melatonin appears to be safe for most people when used short-term; less is known about its long-term safety.
• Melatonin should not be taken early in the day, when it may cause sleepiness and delay your adjustment to local time.
• The amount of melatonin in products and the dosages recommended on labels can vary significantly
• Side effects from melatonin are uncommon but can include drowsiness, headache, dizziness, or nausea.

          Relaxation Techniques

          Relaxation techniques, such as progressive relaxation and mindfulness-based stress reduction,

          may help with insomnia, but we don’t know whether they help with jet lag.

          Other Dietary Supplements and Aromatherapy

          There’s very little evidence that aromatherapy, or taking the herbs chamomile or valerian,

          helps with insomnia. Kava is also advertised for sleep but we don’t have good research on kava

for insomnia.

           Safety:

• Aromatherapy and valerian don’t have significant side effects. Chamomile can cause allergic reactions in some people.
• Kava supplements may cause severe liver damage. 

          Colds and Flu

          Your best protection against getting the flu is getting vaccinated. Everyone age 6 months and

          older should be vaccinated against the flu each year.

           Here are some complementary health approaches that have been studied for avoiding colds

           and decreasing symptoms:

          Zinc

• Taking zinc products by mouth may reduce the length and severity of a cold, studies show.
• Safety: Zinc, particularly in large doses, can have side effects, including nausea and diarrhea. Don’t use any zinc products in your nose; you may lose your sense of smell. 

          Salt Water Rinses

• Rinsing your nose and sinuses with salt water may help relieve a stuffed-up nose, though the research isn’t definitive.
• Safety: If you do rinse your nose and sinuses, use only sterile or distilled water to avoid getting an infection.

          Vitamin C

• Taking vitamin C supplements regularly may slightly reduce the length and severity of your colds but not the number of colds you get.
• Safety: Even at high doses, vitamin C supplements appear safe.

          Other Approaches for Colds and Flu

• There’s no strong evidence that echinacea, garlic, Chinese herbs, oil of oregano, or eucalyptus essential oil prevent or treat colds or that the homeopathic product Oscillococcinum prevents or treats influenza or influenza-like illness.
• Safety: Some traditional Chinese medicine products may have serious side effects—they’ve been found to be contaminated with undeclared plant or animal material, drugs, heavy metals, or pesticides.

Other Common or Travel-Related Infections

Hepatitis C

• The risk of being infected with the virus that causes hepatitis C, a liver disease, when traveling is generally low. However, you can get it from unsterile needles used for acupuncture, a tattoo, or injection drug use; through a medical procedure; or even from sharing personal items contaminated with infected blood, such as razors or a toothbrush.
• No dietary supplement is an effective treatment for hepatitis C. Silymarin, an extract of milk thistle has been studied for hepatitis C. It has not been found to decrease the levels of the virus in patients’ bodies or improve their liver function.
• Safety: Side effects of silymarin in people with hepatitis C are infrequent and usually include only mild digestive problems.

Vaginal Infections/Urinary Tract Infections

• In studies, probiotics haven’t been shown to help with vaginal or urinary tract infections.
• Safety: Probiotics generally have only minor side effects, if any.

Insect Bites

Avoiding bites isn’t just for your comfort; bugs can spread a number of diseases.

Mosquitoes and Ticks

• You can reduce your risk of getting sick by taking these steps to prevent bites:
• Wear protective clothing, sleep in a screened room or an air-conditioned room with the windows closed, and use a bed net if outdoors to avoid getting bitten.
• The CDC recommends using an insect repellent that is at least 20 percent DEET. It helps to ward off mosquitoes, ticks, and other bugs.
• Other repellents such as oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD) protect against mosquitoes but may not be effective against ticks or other bugs.
• “Pure” OLE (an essential oil not formulated as a repellent) hasn’t been well tested and isn’t recommended.
• Insect repellents made from plants, including citronella products, work for less time than products containing DEET.
• Neem oil is used in agricultural insecticides and promoted on some Web sites for people, but there’s no evidence that it works or is safe for people.

Bed Bugs

The risk of picking up bed bugs when you travel is low, but bed bugs have become a problem that travelers need to consider.

Many products are marketed to repel bed bugs “naturally,” such as essential oils, but we don’t have evidence that they work.

Follow steps for detecting and avoiding bed bugs, such as inspecting your mattress and keeping your luggage off the floor or bed. It won’t help to spray bug repellent on your clothing or luggage, and it may pose health hazards.

Sun Exposure

Excessive sun can trigger skin cancer, the most typical type of cancer in the United States. Being near the equator or at high elevation increases your direct exposure to the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation. A couple of common medications, including some prescription antibiotics, may make you more conscious of the sun. You likewise require to look for sun reflecting off of snow, sand, and water.

To Guard Against Sunburns and Possibly Lower Your Risk of Skin Cancer

• Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen
• Limit how much time you are in the sun
• Avoid peak sun hours (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
• Wear protective clothing.
• “Natural Sunscreens”

Many so-called natural sunscreen products are available on the Internet, along with recipes for making your own and advice on consuming dietary supplements or drinking tea to protect against sun damage. Products containing aloe vera and green tea, among other natural ingredients, are promoted as sunscreens. But studies have not proven that any herbal product or dietary supplement, including aloe, beta-carotene, selenium, or epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), an extract from green tea, reduces the risk of skin cancer or sun damage.