When you are traveling abroad, whether for leisure or business, the last thing you want is to get sick. While you can’t always avoid illness, you can be prepared to nurse yourself back to recovery when you get sick. There are only a few things that you can do if you fall ill in a foreign country. This is why being prepared is of the utmost importance, alongside keeping your cool because panicking will not help. Aside from being prepared, you can always seek a pharmacist’s or a doctor’s help.
Below is a general outline of what you can do if you fall sick in another country.
PHARMACIES
Pharmacies in different countries have different policies; what’s considered an over-the-counter medicine in your country may require a prescription in other countries. That being said, it’s probably best to bring any medications you might need with you while traveling in case it turned out that you need a prescription to acquire them in the country you’re visiting. But, in case you forgot to pack it, you can go to the nearest pharmacy to the place you are staying in and explain your symptoms to the best of your abilities to the pharmacist who may recommend a medicine that can ease some of your symptoms.
NATURAL REMEDIES
Everyone has their own routine when they get sick; some of us turn to natural remedies, others know which medicines they need to take to make themselves feel better. However, travelers are not always able to take their medications with them. So, if you’re not able to travel with your medicine then you may want to get your hands on some natural ingredients that can help ease your symptoms. For instance, you can boost your immune system when you’re not feeling well by drinking lemon juice and loading up on rich fruits and veggies that are rich in vitamin C and can fuel your antibodies to get rid of the infection or disease. Take the time to learn about the most effective natural remedies; this way, you can create your own medicine no matter where you are in the world.
FIND A DOCTOR
Getting sick in a foreign country is not a pleasant experience, especially if you do not know how to communicate with pharmacists there or worse yet, get in touch with a doctor. If you’re facing either of these difficulties, you can use a specialized website that can guide you to a doctor near you using location tracking services. These websites have proven helpful before, which is why all travelers are advised to research similar websites and pick one that they can trust. That way, if you get sick in a foreign country, you can simply go to their site and locate a doctor who can communicate in your language. You might find it helpful to affiliate yourself with the website in advance so that you know you’re way around it in times of emergencies.
THINGS TO AVOID
There are certain things that you need to avoid when you’re not feeling well. When you fall ill, your immune system is compromised because it’s trying to get rid of the virus that is making you sick. This means that your body is vulnerable to diseases and infections. So, in order to avoid feeling worse, you need to stay away from risky things that could make you sicker. It’s a good idea to stay away from street food or foreign food altogether. Try to prepare homemade meals or purchase healthy food from trusted sources. You should also avoid activities that require too much effort as your body needs to rest. Make sure that you don’t drink contaminated water; avoid tap water and stick to bottled waters.
BE PREPARED
Many frequent travelers are all too familiar with “Traveler’s Diarrhea”. It’s not really a disease, but it makes one feel sick, especially when they’re eating foreign food that their body is not used to. People who have this digestive disorder may experience nausea, fever, abdominal pains, dehydration, and diarrhea when traveling abroad. Some of these symptoms can last up to a week, which is why buying over-the-counter medicines or finding a doctor may be the best course of action to take. It would also be helpful if you pack your own medicine with you before traveling if you know that you’re susceptible to this condition.
Getting sick overseas is not a pleasant experience; however, there are certain things that you can do to nurse yourself back to health. First of all, the sooner you find medication, the better. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a concoction that you made yourself or an over-the-counter pill. If you don’t speak the local language of the country you’re in, search online to find a doctor who speaks your language. It’s also a good idea to avoid things that could make you sicker, like eating street food or drinking contaminated water. Finally, make sure that you’re staying safe and that you’re not making matters worse by exerting too much effort or not getting enough sleep.
