One of the most common illnesses experienced by travellers is diarrhoea. Travelling to countries with low levels of water and food hygiene can lead to bacteria, parasites or viruses being passed to a person. Diarrhoea is inconvenient when travelling and can be uncomfortable, but it is rare for it to be a serious health concern.
Initial Self-Care Treatment
Traveller's diarrhoea tends to clear up on its own within a few days without any professional help from a doctor. But there are ways to manage and reduce symptoms quickly yourself:
- Staying hydrated is one of the most important parts of recovery as fluids and electrolytes are lost when experiencing diarrhoea. Drinking lots of water and using oral rehydration salts (ORS) are both great ways to replace lost salts and water.
- Adapting your diet can help with uncomfortable symptoms. Opting to eat plain food like toast, broth, bananas and rice can help heal your gut, while ensuring you don't eat heavy, greasy or spicy things that could make things worse.
- As much as you want to be off enjoying your trip, making time to rest will be better in the long run. Rest and sleep will allow for proper recovery.
Medical Treatment
Where travellers' diarrhoea is severe or caused by something nastier, professional medical intervention may be needed.
- If diarrhoea is due to a bacterial infection, antibiotics may be prescribed, especially in cases with severe symptoms or where blood is being passed.
- A hospital stay could be needed if the patient experiences severe dehydration and needs rehydration quickly.
Over-the-Counter Medications
Where diarrhoea continues and is very uncomfortable or is hindering your journey, over the counter drugs can be a good option.
- Loperamide, an anti-diarrhoeal agent can be administered to reduce bowel movements and reduce any unpleasant symptoms. However it is important not to overuse them when there is a bacterial infection causing the diarrhoea.
- Taking care of your gut health and taking probiotics can balance and improve healthy gut bacteria to reduce unwanted gut symptoms.
Prevention
As always, prevention is easier than cure, so practising these steps will help you to avoid or minimise the chances of contracting traveller's diarrhoea.
- Don't drink water from the tap or natural water sources, only consume bottled or boiled water.
- Try not to eat raw food washed in local water or undercooked meat dishes.
- Practising good hand hygiene, especially before eating is essential.
By taking careful preventative measures and getting the treatment you need if traveller's diarrhoea strikes, you can enjoy a healthy trip to your destination. Speak to our pharmacy team who can advise on the best practices and medication to pack with you on your upcoming journey.