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Health |
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Home
>Travel
Guide > Useful
Info & Tips > Health |
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As the saying goes, precaution is better than cure. Though,
Kathmandu Valley has easy access to good medical facilities
and doctors, this section will help you have a healthy, problem
free trip as far as possible.
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| Immunize
Yourself Well In Advance |
It is best to get your vaccination well in time, at least 6
weeks prior to travel. Children and pregnant women must take
extra precaution. Though the best is to check with your doctor,
the vaccinations you are most likely to require for Nepal could
be for the following:
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Diptheria and Tetanus |
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Polio |
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Hepatitis A |
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Typhoid |
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Cholera |
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Hepatitis B |
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Yellow Fever |
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Rabies |
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Japanese B Encephalitis |
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Tuberculosis
(TB) |
Please seek expert advice on the medication, which
could depend on various factors. You may want to carry a treatment
dose of medication for use, especially if you are visiting the
Terai region.
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| Altitude
Sickness |
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Caused due to lack of oxygen at high altitudes (over 2,500m),
symptoms could range from headache, lethargy, dizziness, loss
of appetite to the more dangerous lack of coordination and balance,
confusion, irrational behaviour, vomitting, drowsiness and unconsciousness.
Rest in mild cases, and immediate descent (even upto 500m) in
serious cases.
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Ascend slowly with frequent rest days to acclimatise yourself. |
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Always
sleep at a lower altitude than the greatest height reached
during the day. |
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Drink extra fluids to prevent dehydration. |
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Ascend slowly with frequent rest days to acclimatise yourself. |
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Avoid alcohol, a major cause of dehydration. |
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Avoid sedatives. |
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| Avoid
Common Traveller's Woes |
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Heat
Exhaustion
Caused due to salt deficiency and dehydration, symptoms include
fatigue, lethargy, headaches, dizziness and muscle cramps.
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Take extra salt with food, which is better than salt tablets.
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Drink lots of fluids, even though you may not feel the
need. |
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Take rest, avoiding physically demanding activities. |
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Take time to acclimatise to higher temperatures. |
Heat
Stroke
Caused by the breaking down of the bodys heat regulating mechanism,
which leads to dangerous, often fatal rise in the body temperature.
Symptoms include general unease, not sweating very much, or
at all and a high body temperature ( 39-41C or 102-106 F). Hospitalisation
is essential.
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Avoid long periods of exposure to high temperatures.
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Drink lots of fluid, even though you may not feel the
need. |
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Till the victim reaches the hospital, remove their clothing,
cover with a wet sheet or towel and fan continually. If
conscious give the victim fluids. |
Hypothermia
Caused by excess cold, Hypothermia occurs when the body looses
heat faster than it can produce it and the core body temperature
dips. Symptoms include exhaustion, numbness, shivering,
dizzy spells, muscle cramps and violent bursts of energy combined
with irrational behaviour.
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Dress in layers in high altitudes.* Keep your head covered, as a lot of heat is lost through
the head. |
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If wet, change into warm, dry clothing. |
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Intake hot liquids, not alcohol and some high energy,
easily digestible food. |
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Do not rub yourself, but allow your body to slowly warm
itself. |
Motion
Sickness
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Eat lightly before, and, or during a trip. |
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Try deep breathing and fresh air. |
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Avoid reading and smoking while travelling. |
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Suck on Ginger or peppermint. |
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Take a pill for motion sickness before you start the
trip. |
Prickly
Heat
An itchy and painful rash it is caused by excessive perspiration
trapped under the skin.
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Bathe often to keep cool. |
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Dry skin thoroughly after bath. |
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Use prickly heat powder to soothe itchy skin. |
Sunburn
Use a good quality sunscreen generously to avoid
sunburns. Protect your eyes with good quality sunglasses, especially
near the water, sand or snow. Treat mild sunburns with Calamine
lotion
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| Women's
Health |
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Gynaecological Problems
Avoid fungal vaginal infections by wearing clean cotton underwear,
especially while travelling in hot climates, maintaining personal
hygiene and wearing loose fitting clothes. Incase of thrush,
which is characterised by a rash, itching and discharge, you
can treat it with a vinegar or lemon-juice douche, or with yoghurt.
Practice safe sex using condoms to avoid Sexually Transmitted
Diseases.
Pregnancy
Ideally avoid travelling in this period. The first three months
being crucial to the foetus, take care against all unnecessary
medications. Pay particular attention to your diet and nutrition.
Avoid nicotine and alcohol. And try making your trip as relaxing
as possible.
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| Tips
For A Healthy Trip |
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Handy
Medical Kit
The basic kit should have Aspirin or paracetamol, Antihistamine
for allergies, Antibiotics on consultation with your doctor,
tablets for diarrhoea, rehydration mixture, insect repellent,
sunscreen, lip balm, eye drops, calamine lotion, anti-fungal
cream or powder, antiseptic, bandages and band-aids, water purification
tablets or iodine, scissors, thermometer, throat lozenges and
nasal decongestant, and multivitamins. Apart from this dont
hesitate to carry anything you think necessary.
Health
Insurance
Make sure you have adequate health insurance.
Food
Wash and peel vegetables and fruits. Make sure you eat off clean
places. Eat sensibly and trust your instinct.
Water
Your safest bet is boiled water or tap-water treated with iodine
because you can be sure of its purity. Avoid untreated tap-water.
Though bottled water is accessible widely, it can be dubious
as most of the bottles are recycled with plain tap-water.
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Get your dental and general health check-up done before you
undertake a trip. |
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If under treatment, take adequate supply of your medication
as it may not be available locally. Also get a letter
from your doctor stating you legally use the medication
to avoid any problems. |
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In case of eye-glasses, carry an extra pair as well as your
prescription. |
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