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International Travel Health
What would you do if you ran out of your prescription medications, or lost your glasses while you’re in a foreign country?
Can customs confiscate your prescription drugs or syringes? Will you be at risk of catching a rare disease?
Follow these simple steps so you won’t run into any problems.
Before you leave on your trip:
Get the recommended vaccines.
Required immunizations for international travel
- You’ll need to go to a travel clinic in your area
- Allow plenty of time, at least 1-2 months. Some vaccines require more than one dose, and/or time to take effect
- There is no vaccine for malaria. Start taking the recommended prophylactic drugs for malaria at least 2 weeks before arrival. You should also use insect repellent with 30% to 50% Deet and protective clothing
- They will give you an immunization card. Keep it with your passport
Get a physical, dental, and eye exam.
Medications and prescribed items:
- Fill any prescriptions you require. Get enough to last the whole trip, plus a few extra days.
- In addition, get any prescriptions you might need such as for diarrhea.
For women take medication if you tend to get bladder or yeast infections.
- There is no problem taking medications or syringes across borders. Actually, this is more of an issue coming back into the US. But just in case a custom’s official should question any of it, you should carry a letter from each of your doctors listing the medication’s name, and the reason it’s prescribed. The letter should list both, the commercial and generic names; in some countries, they may not recognize the brand, but they will know the chemical name of the drug.
- Take all medications, both prescribed and over the counter, in the original containers.
This includes supplements and vitamins. You don’t want customs officials finding any baggies filled with funny looking pills.
- Keep them in your carry-on luggage.
- Take hand written prescriptions that include the generic name, in case you lose or run out of your medications.
- Get a written prescription for glasses or contacts, and take an extra pair.
- Scan all your prescriptions and doctor’s letters and email them to yourself.
- If you need injections, pack a few sealed needles and syringes, and carry the prescription for them. You can take these across borders with no problem.
Medical Insurance
- Make sure you have medical insurance that covers you overseas, and find out how to submit a claim.
- Check with your regular insurance to see if they offer travel coverage. Or buy additional coverage.
During your trip:
Diarrhea
You probably know this already: the most common traveler’s complaint is diarrhea.
The best way to treat it is to avoid it:
- Drink only bottled or purified water
- Eat only cooked foods
- Eat only fruit you peel yourself
- Practice good hygiene (wash your hands, carry hand sanitizer)
If you get diarrhea:
- Keep hydrated
- Get some rest
- Take medication, (preferably a prescribed one from your doctor)
Practice good hygiene
- Carry hand sanitizer with you
- Bring a supply of tampons. In some countries these are hard to find and expensive
- Carry tissues or toilet paper with you
Don’t drink the water
- Outside the First World, drink bottled water, and make sure the seal is not broken
- You can buy a gallon or 5-gallon container and keep it in your room to refill your bottle
- Water at major hotels and restaurants is generally safe
- Alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine and liquor are safe. However, the ice may be contaminated. Ask where ice comes from.
- Canned or bottled drinks are safe. Clean the opening before you drink from it
- Hot coffe or tea are safe
- Avoid unpasteurized dairy products
Take vitamins and supplements
- Travelers tend to get too busy or distracted and forget to eat enough, or eat well
- Take care of yourself
Pace yourself and get plenty of rest
- Fatigue is a major cause of accidents, injuries, poor decisions, and illness
Practice safe sex
- Take plenty of condoms. They are not available everywhere, and quality is unreliable
- Use good judgment
Altitude Sickness
- At an altitude above 7,500 feet a mild decrease of oxygen in the blood occurs. If you have lung or cardiac problems, you may become short of breath. Most airlines can deliver oxygen at a nomical extra charge. You need to provide a prescription and 2-3 days notice.
- When climbing above 8,200 feet or 2,500 meters you may experience mild nausea, and mild to severy headache, confusion and shortness of breath. Prescribes prophylactic medicines can help prevent or treat these symptoms. If you have heart or lung problems, check with your doctor.
Injuries
- Sprains and muscle injuries should be cold packed during the first 24 hours to reduce pain and swelling. You can minimize pain by using an elastic bandage and staying off the injured joint
- Do not pet animals or pets. If you get bitten you’ll need to get treated for rabies. You can find the nearest treatment facility through the nearest US Embassy
Insect bites and stings
- Avoid bright colored clothing, and wear long sleeves and pants after dusk
- Hydrocortisone cream and/or antihistamines can help
Stress
Culture Shock and unfamiliar surroundings can cause stress that can become serious.
You may experience:
Loneliness
Insomnia
Irritability
Isolation
Trying too hard to absorb everything new
Feeling lost or overwhelmed
Idealizing the new culture
Disorientation
Difficulty making decisions
Frustration
Culture shock comes in stages:
- First, you’re in love with the new culture
- Next, you may have communication challenges that can make you feel frustrated and impatient
- Love-hate relationship with the new culture. You may go back and forth between idealizing the new culture, and despising it
- Deep appreciation of the new culture. When you’ve finally integrated
- Finally, reverse culture shock. When you return home. What you’ve learned and experienced is no longer relevant
Ways of coping:
- Remember, this is normal. There’s nothing wrong with you
- Structure your time. Maintain a daily schedule, keep busy
- Stay in touch with friends and family
- Go out and experience the new culture
- Make new friends with other travelers and locals
- Get some exercise
- Be patient with yourself
- Do something relaxing that you enjoy. Go to a pub and watch a sports game, read, meditate
- Keep a sense of humor. A lot of what you’ll experience will be absurd. Go ahead and laugh
- Keep a journal. Culture shock is a sign that you’re stretching and growing. When you read it later, you’ll see how you were transformed by your experience
See the Health section in Packing for a Trip Around the World for a list of international travel first aid kit items and non-prescription drugs to take with you.
If you should need medical attention, the American Embassy can provide names on English speaking doctors or hospitals.
Medical information obtained from our website is not intended as a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you have a problem, you should consult a healthcare provider.
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Protect Yourself From Crime
International Travel Health -
Transportation Related Health
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