Whatever the destination, traveling is enjoyable. You get to discover new places and experience other cultures. But the fun dwindles if you happen to get sick during your trip. It can be challenging to explore various places when you have a headache, stomach pain, or stuffy nose. Sometimes, you might need to postpone your plans or extend your stay because you aren’t well enough to return home. In any case, getting sick when you travel isn’t a pleasant experience. It’s also more difficult when you don’t have the right medicines for the job. You might also not have access to what you need if the nearest drug stores to your accommodation don’t carry the specific ones you need.
While you can’t tell when might fall ill during your trip, you can prepare for any unfortunate event by packing medicines that will help relieve symptoms of common ailments. Here are six types of medicines you should take with you the next time you travel.
Prescription Medicines
If you have a chronic condition like diabetes, heart disease, or arthritis, and need to take prescription medication, bring these on your trip. Make sure to pack enough supplies for the planned trip as well as a few extra just in case your return trip gets delayed. You can either head to the nearest drugstore or buy medicine online before your journey to ensure you leave with ample stocks.
When packing your prescription drugs, keep them in their original labeled bottles so you don’t mix them up with other over-the-counter medicines. It’s also a good idea to make a list of all these medicines and take it in your carry-on so you still have a reference in case your luggage gets lost. Remember to include the generic name of each drug when making your medicine list. This is very helpful if you’ll be traveling to a different country as some medicines can have a different brand name there. By knowing your medicine's generic name, you can still take the same medicine you need.
Pain Relievers
Headaches, toothaches, foot pains, or any type of pain aren’t fun to experience, especially when it hinders you from enjoying being a tourist. That said, remember to pack pain relievers like ibuprofen or paracetamol on your next trip. Unless the drug causes an allergic reaction, you can use either ibuprofen or paracetamol to treat various pains mentioned above as well as menstrual cramps and muscle aches. They’re also effective in reducing fever.
The main difference between the two is, ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug that can block the body’s production of substances that cause inflammation. It can also relieve minor symptoms associated with the common cold or flu. While paracetamol is effective in treating minor aches and pains, it doesn’t help in decreasing inflammation.
Loperamide
Typically, traveling involves trying out different foods at your destination so getting stomach problems is quite common. But one of the most uncomfortable illnesses you might encounter when you travel is diarrhea. Often, it is caused by ingesting contaminated food or water, but traveler’s diarrhea can happen anywhere and to anyone. So, it’s a good idea to bring anti-diarrheal medications like loperamide, regardless of your destination.
Loperamide treats diarrhea by slowing the movement of your gut. This decreases the frequency of your bowel movement and makes your stool less watery. It also helps relieves stomach pains that often come with diarrhea.
Antihistamines
Even if you’re at home, it can be hard to tell when allergies will creep up. This will be especially true when you’re traveling to a place with a different climate. That said, make sure you’re ready to treat allergies and their symptoms by bringing antihistamines. These are medications that help relieve symptoms of allergies like stuffy nose, sneezing, watery eyes, and itchy eyes. They’re also sometimes used to treat allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, and symptoms of the common cold.
Cold Medicines
Traveling exposes you to all sorts of pathogens, including the cold virus. Since the cold virus can spread through droplets in the air, you can catch it anytime and anywhere. Unless you’d rather spend your trip sick, the best treatment is to take cold medications. That’s why it’s always good to be prepared by bringing nasal decongestants and expectorants the next time you travel.
Nasal decongestants help unclog a stuffy nose and clear your head, while expectorants help loosen the mucus in your lungs by making it watery so you can easily cough it up. Take note that some cold medicines can make you feel tired or sleepy, so bring a non-drowsy drug formula in case you’ll need to take them during the day.
Getting sick can easily ruin your trip, so it’s a good idea to take these medicines with you when you travel. If you’re traveling with kids or senior adults, consider their medical needs too and bring medicines that are safe for them to use. This way, everyone can stay healthy and have a pleasant time while traveling.
