Travel Health

Malaria is one of the most dangerous illnesses that affect travel health every year and in spite of the wide availability of treatments, is still a grave world health concern. Annually, the UK reports that around 1,500 travellers return to Britain with malaria, this is largely due to the fact that they don't take the right tablets or aren't taking any tablets at all to protect them against the parasite.

Before you travel, it's important to research the area you are visiting, as some types of malaria treatments may not be right for the area you are travelling to. The course of medication should generally be started before you travel to ensure that you have sufficient amounts of the medication built up your in your system to prevent the earliest onslaughts of the parasite.

The antimalarials that are available to order online at OnlineClinic are Paludrine & Avloclor, Malarone and Doxycycline. It is important to bear in mind that the medication that is most suitable for you will depend on your destination, so you should undertake the necessary research before attempting to buy any antimalarial online.

Travellers' diarrhoea is extremely common in travellers, in particular those that travel to developing countries. This is largely because sanitation isn't up to a very high standard, which can have a significant impact on your travel health, but it can also simply be because you aren't used to the bacteria naturally found on foods in your destination country.

Traveller's diarrhoea can be caused by various different types of bacteria, viruses or parasites, but more commonly bacteria than anything else. Most of the time a person's illness passes with time, but antibiotics and other symptomatic treatments can be helpful in making the duration of your illness as comfortable as possible.

There is no preventative travel health treatment for traveller's diarrhoea, although pro-biotic treatments such as those contained in the Travellers' Diarrhoea Pack can help improve the level of good bacteria in your gut. It is a good idea to avoid drinking tap water and eating uncooked food to minimise the risk of you experiencing travellers' diarrhoea.

Altitude sickness, or acute mountain sickness (AMS), can occur when people experience a change in atmospheric pressure at high altitudes, usually those over 8,000 feet. It is characterised by feeling dizzy, nauseous and experiencing headaches, however it can also lead to serious health issues and even death if untreated.

For this reason, climbers, hikers and people who generally spend their time at altitude should practice good caution and sound judgment if they begin to feel ill during an outing. They should also take time to acclimatise during an ascent to help avoid altitude sickness from occurring in the first place.

In addition to the necessary acclimatisation methods, some people may find a medication called Diamox beneficial in helping them avoid altitude sickness. The prescription medication can help alleviate symptoms by increasing the acidity of the blood and thereby reducing any fluid build-up in the lungs and brain. It can be taken prior to ascending to help reduce the chances of altitude sickness developing, but should not be used as a substitute for essential acclimatisation methods.

Jet lag is a condition often experienced by travellers who journey through different time zones, causing confusion to the body’s natural clock and sleeping cycle. This is due to the difference in day and night at the destination and the body being unable to adapt to the new conditions quickly enough.

The result is that travellers can experience lethargy, difficulty sleeping and even disorientation. Fortunately we offer a jet lag treatment pack, which contains a medication that contains melatonin, which is a natural hormone that can assist individuals who suffer from jet lag to help adjust sleeping patterns to the new time zone.

Travel sickness, more commonly referred to as simply motion sickness, is a condition where the messages sent from the inner ear and eyes contradict each other, causing nausea, vomiting and dizziness. It’s very common and individuals often experience motion sickness when traveling by plane, car, train or boat.

Fortunately there are several medications that can help provide relief from motion sickness symptoms fast and help avoid an uncomfortable journey. These are Kwells, Avomine and Scopoderm patches, all of which are available here at OnlineClinic.