Questions tagged [health]
Preventing illness and injury while travelling and how to deal with them if they do occur. Where appropriate use a more specific tag (examples under `tag info`).
667
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How to avoid drinking vodka?
This summer, I spent some time in Moscow and St. Petersburg; I also visited a friend and his family. Their custom was to drink a lot of vodka during the meal. We, the guests, also had to drink some ...
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How to convince airport security that I am not dangerous when having metallic parts in my body?
I had an operation some time ago and now I have small screws in my shoulder which will not be removed anymore. When I decided to fly for vacation, I supposed that these will may bring me into trouble ...
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How to prevent "Delhi Belly" from eating/drinking locally?
Montezuma's revenge or Aztec two step in Central America, mummy's tummy, or Cairo two-step in Egypt, Kurtz Hurtz in Uzbekistan, Bombay belly or Delhi belly in India.
A case of the sh-- or Hershey ...
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9
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How can I avoid or minimize jet lag on flights?
From my personal anecdotal experience, I've found it worse when travelling east around the globe. I also tend to stay awake most if not all of the flight, so sleeping time doesn't tend to matter as ...
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How can I avoid ordering multiple bottles of water at a restaurant?
I have a couple esophageal conditions that result in a high probability of a food bolus impaction when eating (a food bolus impaction is when food gets stuck in the esophagus). There are a few ...
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What happens if you have a medical emergency after deplaning but before passing passport control?
Let's say you are a visa national flying into a UK airport with a valid entry clearance. Between exiting the airplane and passing through passport control you have a medical emergency that requires ...
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4
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Why can't I wash away soapy hands?
If it is more appropriate for Chemistry Stack Exchange, please let me know, although it happens when I am traveling.
I am very thorough when washing my hands (I prefer bars of soap to liquid soap), ...
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Giving First Aid in the USA
I am a qualified first-aider in the UK and as such would automatically stop to give aid to any accidents and emergencies I saw. I was watching a US show on the TV the other night where someone was ...
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Is the tap water in France safe to drink?
I am planning to travel to France. When I have traveled recently, I often find myself drinking a lot of water after a lot of walking.
Sometimes buying water can be expensive, especially in central ...
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9
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Coronavirus affected co-passenger; what to do?
I am flying this week from Munich to London, and Bavaria just got the first contaminated person, who now has the Coronavirus 2019-nCoV after interacting with Chinese colleague. Two cases of the novel ...
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I am travelling with a medication that needs to be cool at all times, will the airline allow me to use the onboard chiller?
If someone is travelling with a medicine that needs to be cool all the time, can I use the fridge onboard? I know that planes have them.
I didn't find anything related to the topic in any airline's ...
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Would I be allowed to get on a plane from the UK and fly to America with tea?
Today I was doing some research on food and drinks and realised that tea is not a very big thing in The U.S. and that all the "good" brands of tea are extremely overpriced or quite "unattractive".
So ...
user42025
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5
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Is it safe to travel in Japan considering the nuclear situation?
Are there any areas that should be avoided and are there any steps I should take to protect myself from radiation?
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Legalities and safety concerns of visiting prostitutes in Amsterdam
A friend of mine left his girlfriend after a long (~5 years) relationship. To cheer him up a little bit, we decided to go to Amsterdam, as they have liberal prostitution and drug consuming laws.
We'...
- 51.3k
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Traveling to Japan from the USA avoiding air travel? [duplicate]
This may be a bit of an odd question, but is it possible to make it to Japan without using an airplane. I have an inner ear disease and the last time I flew, it literally left me incapacitated for a ...
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How to vomit during a flight?
Last time I travelled I wasn't feeling quite well just before boarding the plane. I either had eaten something wrong or a flu just appeared. The thought of having to vomit during the flight made me ...
user141
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Is flying 60 short flights per year harmful to health due to additional radiation? [duplicate]
For the fifth year in a row I flew approximately 60 times. Most of my flights are within Europe, so an average flight is quite short (~1000 km, ~2 hours). I am concerned about negative ...
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Are there any airlines that still allow smoking on-board flights?
Do any airlines still allow smoking on-board international flights, or is this something that has been banned across the board everywhere? If this is because of fire hazard regulations, what about e-...
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Avoiding important carry-on luggage being taken away
Since I'm traveling with essential medicines and medical equipment it is key for me that my carry-on luggage is allowed to be carried into the aircraft cabin, so that it's available to me at all times,...
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How does one recover from a (personal) disaster while abroad, travel-wise?
I was watching the Bond flick Die Another Day last night. In it, Bond ends up in terrible shape, but manages to escape to the shores of Hong Kong, where he strolls into the lobby of a swanky hotel, is ...
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Air travel with refrigerated insulin
In a couple of weeks I'll be travelling by air on 2 separate airlines with insulin for my dog that must be kept refrigerated else it spoils, and I have no idea how to go about this. I'll probably be ...
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Will TSA allow me to carry a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)/sleep apnea device?
When traveling with a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) medical device (commonly used for sleep apnea), will it need to be removed from your carry on bag when going thru security with TSA Pre-...
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Best way to make my ears pop?
What is the best way to make my ears pop when landing on a plane? The hold-your-nose-and-pitch method is very painful; are there any other methods to pop ears?
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What are the signs of a bed bug infestation?
Bed bugs have become a real problem recently, with more and more places reporting outbreaks. What can you do to avoid being exposed to these nasty parasites?
If you do get exposed, what can you do ...
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Which part of a cruise ship offers the least movement?
I'm about to book my first cruise and I'm not sure which is the best part of the ship for the least movement - is the front, middle or back less affected by the action of the ocean?
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How do you prepare for long haul flights?
I'm always feeling a bit unwell during and after long haul flights. I lose my appetite, can't sleep in the plane, food has no taste no matter what. However, I'm pretty sure it's not the flying itself, ...
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Does an EU citizen need to get health insurance before flying to London?
I'm 16 years old, from Lithuania, and I'll be travelling solo to London.
In the unlucky case something happens, will the needed health treatments be free? Or is advised to buy an health insurance, ...
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Is travelling to Chernobyl safe for tourists?
Recently I read in my Lonely Planet and on some news site like for example this one, that the site of the Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe is open for tourists. There are also tour operators that offer ...
- 51.3k
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What makes the tap water on board airplanes unsafe to drink?
Every single airplane toilet I've ever been to had the following (or similar) sign:
Why is drinking the tap water prohibited? And if drinking the water is prohibited, why is it acceptable to brush ...
- 82k
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4
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Traveling with medical equipment in checked baggage
My wife uses a compression machine to treat lymphedema, which is a result of her breast cancer treatment several years ago. She needs to use the machine almost daily, otherwise her arm swells, which ...
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Are medical doctors legally doctors wherever they are?
"Is there a doctor on board"? Who hasn't heard this announcement while flying, specially long distance. I once talk to an American medical doctor on a non-American carrier who told me he tries to ...
user141
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6
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Is there an international standard for medical prescriptions, you can carry around and show to any pharmacy?
I have a condition that only sometimes needs medication, most of the time not. My doctor gave me a set of prescriptions I can use when the condition surfaces. I only go to the pharmacy to fetch that ...
user141
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5
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Is it safe to drink water with a strong chlorine smell?
Are there any health issues with drinking heavily chlorinated water?
During a recent trip to Australia (Queensland, NSW), virtually all tap water I found had a very strong chlorine smell and taste. I ...
- 12.6k
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6
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Is it safe to drink the tap water in Istanbul?
Is the water from the tap/faucet potable in Istanbul or must I buy bottled water? If not, what are the specific contaminants in it?
- 78.3k
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We're all adults here - how to use a squat toilet if you have trouble squatting?
So, we have a great question and answer on how to use a squat toilet. However, the answers there basically assume you're healthy and able to use one as per the instructions.
A group of us are going ...
- 159k
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4
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If I have to put up with bed bugs can I prevent bites or stop the itch?
Sometimes you find out too late that your room or bed has bed bugs.
Now I'm not afraid of bed bugs. They don't carry disease so they're far safer than mosquitoes. But I find the itching from the ...
- 78.3k
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Long Term Travel - what insurances can / should I get?
I'm a freelancer in the field of software development and I'm planning to travel to different places, but also continue working. I'd expect to stay at a certain place (country) for 1-3 months. Pretty ...
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Dealing with the 'unclean hand' when travelling (if you're left-handed)
"Among Muslims, the left hand is reserved for bodily hygiene and
considered unclean. Thus, the right hand should be used for eating.
Shaking hands or handing over an item with one's left hand is
...
- 159k
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4
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What are safe uses of non-potable water?
While traveling, you come across many different levels of water safety. In some countries you can drink the tap water, and in others you should avoid it at all costs.
Where do you draw the line when ...
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What are the current travel restrictions on individuals entering the United States from regions affected by Covid-19?
This community wiki explains the current restrictions by the United States of America on the entry of individuals who may pose a risk of transmission of the SARS-Cov2, the virus which causes the Covid-...
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What should I be aware of when eating street food?
I basically eat anywhere when I travel. I love street food, and I am usually not afraid of eating anywhere, tasting everything.
However, I became a bit more careful recently. I have travelled with ...
- 31.7k
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1
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Getting a foreign prescription for a prescription drug filled in the US
My wife takes a prescription medication that cannot be stopped. Her supply is running out while in the US and we've tried faxing her foreign doctor's prescription to Walmart but they wouldn't accept ...
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I bought a flight ticket, but now I have a health issue which specifically forbids me to take flights. Can I get a full refund?
I bought a plane ticket from Turkish Airlines, 2 months before the flight. Then I went to the doctor, and the doctor said I have a health problem, which specifically forbids me to take flights for one ...
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4
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Going to New Delhi for a conference. Where to drink/get water?
I've just read Drinking tap water in India, which has some mixed messages (in different answers) regarding tap water safety in different locations and conditions in India.
Now, I'm traveling to a ...
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How to organize prescription medicine for an extended (>3 months) travel in Australia and New Zealand?
We're travelling for 7 months (from the UK) to Australia, New Zealand, and back via Australia again (with less than 3 months in each country).
My wife has obtained a 7 month supply of her ...
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7
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Carrying medicines internationally for a friend
A friend of mine has asked to carry medicines from India to UK. She is also going to provide me the prescription for those medicines.
However, I am a bit reluctant because the prescription that she ...
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What should I do to avoid ear pain when flying?
I always feel a pain in my ears when flying. Specially when descending. The last time I had extreme pain, feeling it inclusive around my eye balls. It felt like someone was touching the eye and ...
- 31.7k
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Is LifeStraw a silver bullet water purification solution for travelling in India?
LifeStraw has a 0.2 micron filter. Since "most bacteria are 0.2 µm in diameter and 2-8 µm in length" (source), is it safe to drink water from any source using LifeStraw without boiling? (India in ...
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