5 Health Emergencies to Plan for When Traveling
People often love planning vacations and look forward to spending a few days each year traveling. Seeing a new place for the first time is exciting and revisiting somewhere you love is always great too. However, during this planning process many people often forget to make a plan in case a medical emergency happens. While you’re away from home, hopefully you don’t need to make a trip to the emergency room or try to find a dentist open weekends, all sorts of health issues can arise so it’s important that you are prepared just in case. That’s why I’ve put together five common emergencies people may face while traveling in order to help you know what to do, in case you experience one yourself.
1. Breaking a Bone
One thing you should prepare for when traveling is broken bones, especially if you are the thrill-seeking type. If you like to spend your travels doing outdoor activities such as rock-climbing or skiing, it’s best to be prepared in case an accident happens. There is a risk of you breaking a bone if you slip and fall somewhere along your trip. If you do break your arm, leg, or other bone you will need to head to the emergency room quickly to receive x-rays and get the necessary treatment. Have whoever you are traveling with take you and if you are traveling alone, do not drive yourself. It will most likely be safest for you to call an ambulance, especially if you’re injury is severe.
2. Dental Issues That May Arise
Another medical emergency that you should be prepared for is a dental emergency. This can be anything like a chipped or lost tooth, root canals, or abscessed teeth. Dental emergencies can happen at any time for a number of reasons and need to be dealt with right away as they can worsen quickly become more serious. You may not want to head to the emergency room if you find yourself in a dental emergency, though. Not all emergency rooms are equipped to treat dental issues so you will want to search the area for emergency dentists or weekend dentists instead. However, if your dental issues are because of head trauma it will be safest for you to visit the emergency room first.
3. Breathing Difficulties That Could Occur
If you find yourself or someone you’re traveling with having breathing difficulties, it’s important that you know what to do. People can have difficulties breathing for many different reasons from asthma attacks, panic attacks, or allergic reactions. The most important thing when this happens is to know the cause of why it’s happening. Some reasons may need more medical attention than others. For asthma attacks and allergic reactions, be sure to pack inhalers and EpiPens so you are prepared. If you or someone you know is having an allergic reaction and an EpiPen is not available, you will need to go to the emergency room quickly to make sure the proper medication is administered. If you are experiencing prolonged troubles breathing and do not know why you will want to head to the ER as well.
4. Fainting or Collapsing
Fainting or collapsing can happen because of underlying issues and can be a frightening medical emergency. If you are traveling and you or someone you’re with faints or collapses you will want to find medical attention quickly to figure out the reason for the fainting spell. More serious conditions that cause fainting include heart problems, seizures, and low blood sugar, and you will want to receive the proper treatment if you are suffering from any of these. If you are spending a lot of your travels outside, walking, and being active, make sure you are drinking enough water and fueling your body with enough food to prevent fainting or collapsing. If you feel like you are about to faint, sit or lie down to help blood get to the brain.
5. Severe Pain or Discomfort
You may also find yourself in severe pain while you’re travelling. This can be for a number of reasons and happen anywhere in your body. If you find yourself having pain in your chest it’s best to head to the emergency room right away to make sure you are not suffering from a heart attack or stroke. If you are experiencing pain in other areas of your body, you can try taking pain medications to help ease some of your discomfort. However, if the pain does not go away or worsens, it’s best that you head to a doctor’s office or emergency room to learn the cause of your pain and receive the proper treatment.
Traveling is exciting and there’s so much to learn from visiting new places. Along with packing and having all your travel documents organized and ready to go, you should also be prepared for medical emergencies while you’re away. Hopefully, you or anyone you’re traveling with doesn’t experience any medical issues, but it’s important to expect the unexpected. Planning ahead is one of the ways you can prepare for a healthy vacation. If you or someone you’re traveling with does experience a medical emergency, the most important thing to remember is to stay calm and find help as quickly as possible.
Of course, health emergencies can happen to all of us. I know a friend of mine recently travelling over from the states sent me a message of panic asking did I know where she could get ear wax removal in London.
** This is a collaborative post **
