Doctor Game: Health hazards of travel and how to avoid them

By Medicine Hat News on November 13, 2017.

I’m sure many readers love to travel. I do too! After all, travel is associated with fun, education and happy times. No one intentionally leaves home to have a bad time. But travel can sometimes result in a “pukefest,” be outright dangerous and occasionally fatal. So how can the hazards be avoided?

Flying to your destination

Some people have a fear of flying, especially to a destination when newspaper headlines have described a catastrophic airplane accident. But according to the U.S. National Safety Council, there’s a greater chance of dying in a car crash on your way to the airport. For instance, the death rate from cars is 0.47 per 100 million passenger miles. For domestic flights, it’s 0.001 or 500-times safer. Every year 35,000 U.S citizens die in car accidents. Worldwide, only 898 people die in plane crashes! You don’t need to be a mathematician to decide to fly if you have the choice.

Driving in Foreign Countries

It may surprise you, but according to The World Health Organization, driving in the U.S. is the most hazardous in the world. Countries such as Sweden, Switzerland, Holland, the U.K. have a two-thirds lower mortality rate than the U.S. And according to the Centers for Disease Control, 85 per cent of all traffic deaths worldwide occur in low and middle income countries. So paying more for your holiday is safer.

Can you decrease the risk of being one of the 25,000 people who are killed while travelling abroad every year? Your life may be threatened by road signs you cannot read, driving an unfamiliar car, or learning to drive on the other side of the road. I recall driving in Buenos Aires where few drivers remain in one lane and many totally ignore traffic signals. Make sure the GPS is working before you drive away, keep pets in a carrier, wear seat belts, try not to drive at night and don’t drink and drive.

Going on a Cruise

In 2016 one newspaper headline read, “Pukefest on one of the major cruise lines.” Gastrointestinal problems while cruising are usually due to norovirus infection resulting from contaminated food, water or infected objects. But don’t give up cruising as there’s a 99 percent chance of not getting sick. You can increase the odds of keeping well, however, by frequent washing of hands, using an alcohol-based sanitizer. As for shore excursions in developing countries, it’s safer to wait and eat when you return to the ship. On many cruise ships there’s a no-handshaking rule when meeting officers, so abide by the rule.

Destination in a High Altitude Region

Most travelers stick close to terra firma but the adventurous tend to forget high altitudes can be deadly. Never ignore a disease called acute mountain sickness (AMS). It strikes some travelers in high altitude places. For instance, it affects 25 percent of those who travel to the Colorado Rockies, and 50 percent of those who go to Peru or climb in the Himalayas. Some climbers fare better than others, but there’s a general rule that the higher you go and the faster you climb the greater the risk.

AMS occurs at high elevations of 8,000 feet above sea level. At this height there’s less oxygen and hikers begin to complain of shortness of breath, lightheadedness, fatigue and nausea. These symptoms can occur regardless of age and sex. Moreover, just because you’re in good physical condition is no protection against AMS. The worst scenario is pulmonary edema and occasional death.

To prevent AMS don’t try climbing a high altitude area if you suffer from a lung or heart problem. But even if you are in good health, increasing the amount of nitric oxide in the blood will decrease the risk of AMS. You can do this by starting to take one tablet of a natural remedy called Neo40, available at Health Food Stores starting two weeks prior to and during the trip.

Be sure to check with a travel clinic if you’re going to a developing country where there’s increased risk of insect borne diseases such as malaria.

Make sure you have extra medication with you and always pack this in your carry-on bag. And never take the risk of leaving home without travel insurance.