From the little sore to the real emergency: how to manage health problems while traveling?

From the little sore to the real emergency: how to manage health problems while traveling?

From the little sore to the real emergency: how to manage health problems while traveling?

In the event of an accident or illness, the smooth running of a trip risks being completely disrupted. Moreover, the consequences can be disastrous, not only for your planning, but also for your budget, especially if the situation worsens.

 

Whether it's a simple injury or a critical situation, it's important to know how to manage health problems and take all the precautions to avoid them while travelling.  

 

The little bobo

 

Small injuries are an integral part of the vagaries of travel and must be managed accordingly. The most common injuries encountered while traveling are:

 

sunburn _

scratches and small wounds

non-infectious insect bites

minor allergies

superficial burns

splinters

blisters on the feet

It is relatively easy to treat these minor injuries using a first aid kit . Available in supermarkets, in pharmacies and sometimes in motorway service areas, these first aid kits are inexpensive and are perfectly equipped to deal with minor injuries during a trip. If you forgot it at home, don't panic because you will easily find the necessary dressings and medicines on site that will transform these little sores into holiday memories.

 

After the first aid, you will have to be particularly vigilant as to the evolution of the injury. Indeed, the risks of infection are real and the situation can worsen, especially in tropical countries with humid climates. Care must be taken to keep the wound dry and clean at all times to prevent it from becoming infected. At the slightest alarming sign, do not hesitate to consult a doctor.

 

Illnesses while traveling

 

Whatever your country of destination, the risks of falling ill while traveling exist. Indeed, the climate as much as the sanitary conditions are aggravating factors for certain diseases, especially in tropical countries .

 

The main diseases that you can contract are mainly related to dehydration and transit or digestion problems such as diarrhea or turista. Other pathologies are possible, including cholera, hepatitis A and B, malaria, yellow fever, typhoid fever, and even poliomyelitis.

 

At the first symptoms, you should consult a doctor. If you do not speak the language of the country, you can inquire with the Embassy or the Consulate of France who will recommend a French-speaking doctor to you.

 

In case you master the local language or if you are accompanied by a guide, you can go directly to a practitioner. The manager of your hotel is also a source of information that should not be overlooked, he can recommend a doctor or possibly accompany you to his office.

 

If you fall ill while travelling, don't hesitate to take a break, adjust your schedule and plan a few days off before getting back on the right foot on your journey. This will allow you at the same time to follow the evolution of the symptoms and to avoid any relapse.

 

Don't forget that you can request reimbursement of your medical expenses if you have taken the precaution of taking out travel insurance before your departure. You must then keep all the invoices concerning the expenses caused by the illness in order to be able to submit a request for reimbursement. In addition to these proofs of payment, you will need to send your insurance company all the related medical documents by post.

 

It is advisable to make photocopies for your archives, they will also be very useful in case of loss.

 

The real emergencies

 

There are situations where the traveler is obliged to resort to the services of a medical center or a hospital because his state of health requires specific care.

 

Two scenarios can arise:

 

The accident during the trip or once arrived on site which may sometimes require evacuation by ambulance to the nearest hospital or health center. Depending on the severity of the injuries, emergency treatment and/or hospitalization may be required.

Serious illnesses such as cholera, chikungunya or dengue which are rampant in certain tropical countries. Even a simple case of dehydration can quickly turn tragic without any medical follow-up. Indeed, it sometimes happens that a disease which seems benign at first glance, then has serious consequences and requires hospitalization.

It is in this kind of dramatic situation that travel insurance is essential. Indeed, thanks to the repatriation guarantee , you benefit from emergency evacuation to your country of residence in the event of an accident or serious illness.

 

Repatriation can also be considered if the medical facilities on site are unable to provide the care appropriate to your state of health. This evacuation can be done by road or by plane, depending on the distance between the country of residence and the host country. It is also possible to make a transfer to the nearest city or country which has a hospital infrastructure capable of providing you with adequate care.

 

Before committing to any process, it is advisable to contact the local correspondent of your insurer or its assistance service, to set up the essential logistics for such an operation.

 

Taking out travel insurance will also prevent you from ruining yourself in medical expenses when traveling to certain destinations where the amounts of hospitalization are often astronomical and can put a heavy strain on your finances.

 

A visit to the emergency room in a hospital in Miami will cost you, for example, around €53,000, gastroenteritis in Santo Domingo can cost you more than €3,000, while hospitalization for a femoral neck fracture requires treatment up to €16,000 in Turkey!

 

Being the victim of an accident or falling ill is one of the unforeseen events of travel. If small sores can be treated with a simple first aid kit, consulting a doctor is the best solution in the event of a more serious condition.

 

Subscribing to travel insurance represents the guarantee of reimbursement of medical expenses when you travel while offering you the possibility of benefiting from an emergency medical evacuation if your case worsens or if your state of health requires it. Discover everything you need to know about travel insurance on ACS .