Travel Medicine

Planning a trip, whether it be for business or pleasure, can be an exciting change of pace. While making arrangements such as where to stay and what to bring is essential, scheduling a travel consultation cannot be overlooked. At New York Medicine Doctors, we want to keep our patients safe no matter where they are. Visiting us for a travel consultation provides you with the best chance of remaining healthy for the duration of your trip.

When To Schedule Your Consultation?

Our team recommends scheduling a travel consultation between four to six weeks ahead of your scheduled trip. Depending on where you are heading, you may need to take certain medications or receive various shots to remain protected. That is why patients must leave enough time between their visit and the trip. Otherwise, they may miss out on essential methods of care.

What To Expect During Your Visit

If you’ve never been to a travel consultation before, you’re likely wondering what will go into your appointment. Below is a break down of what you can expect to take place:

• A review of your medical history will take place.
• A plan for preventative care will be developed based on your health and travel destination.
• Administering travel vaccines
• Our team will provide you with a list of tips for preventing medical issues and a summary of the appointment. 

How To Prepare?

Preparation for your travel consultation is a relatively straightforward process. The most important thing to remember is to bring a full itinerary of your travel plans. Doing so will allow our staff to get a complete idea of what will be taking place during your travels, which means we can provide optimal protection. 

Travel Vaccines

Staying up to date with your vaccinations plays an essential role in remaining healthy and active. However, sometimes people can overlook the importance of getting vaccinations before traveling. Other countries have health issues that we don’t face here in the United States, which is why our team at New York Medicine Doctors highly recommends scheduling an appointment with us before your trip. We’ll evaluate your itinerary and help determine which vaccines you will need to get before traveling.

If you believe you will need travel vaccines before your trip, we recommend scheduling an appointment at least one month before you leave. Some vaccines take a few weeks to become fully active after injections. Making an appointment a month in advance allows for this to take place.

What Vaccines Should You Get Before Traveling?

Before traveling, the CDC recommends being up to date on all of your routine vaccines. However, these vaccines will not protect you from diseases that are only prevalent in the areas you are traveling to. To determine which vaccines each patient will need, our team will look at the below factors:

• Where you are visiting.
• Your past medical history.
• Planned activities.

Should I Receive A Vaccination In Another Country?

You may think that your best option is to wait until you’ve arrived in the country you are traveling to and get vaccinated there. However, the CDC recommends this. One of the reasons is because, as previously stated, certain vaccines need to be administered ahead of time to receive full immunity from a disease. Additionally, vaccines offered in different countries can sometimes be less effective than those in the United States.

Travel Supplies 

When packing for travel, it’s easy to focus on just bringing your favorite outfits and basic toiletries. However, our team at New York Medicine Doctors warns that you should put more thought into what you place in your travel bag. To remain healthy and medically protected, there are certain supplies you shouldn’t leave for the airport without having. To learn more about this, please continue reading.

Do I Need Prescription Medication?

If you usually take daily prescription medication, the answer to this question is yes. Make sure you bring enough to last you through your trip. However, even those who aren’t on medication at the time of the travels may find themselves in need of a prescription. Depending on what area of the world you are traveling to, our team may prescribe the below:

• Traveler’s diarrhea antibiotic.
• Anti-malaria medication.

Over-The-Counter Medications  

Prescription-strength medication may not be the only thing you need to take with you on your trip. Over-the-counter medications can also keep you healthy and prevent illnesses from derailing anything on your itinerary. Some that we may recommend includes:

• Antacids.
• Antihistamines.
• Motion sickness medication.
• Mild laxatives.
• Sleep medication.  

Additional Supplies

There are a variety of variables that go into planning a trip. That is why it is so important to visit our team before leaving. We’ll help inform you of what supplies need to be packed to prevent any health problems on the trip. Additional supplies that can be beneficial include:

• First aid kits.
• Hand sanitizer.
• Water purification tablets.
• Copies of all your prescriptions.
• Insect repellent.

For more tips on what to pack for your trip, be sure to schedule an appointment with our team today.

Malaria & Diarrhea Prevention

Traveling is always a great way to relax and get away from your everyday life. However, when leaving the country, you’ll need to make sure you remain medically protected. A failure to do so can lead a person suffering from malaria & diarrhea as a result of their trip. At New York Medicine Doctors, we’d like to help you avoid this. To learn more about how these can be prevented, continue reading.

Preventing Malaria 

Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite that is transmitted to humans when they are bitten by an infected mosquito. It can be a life-threatening disease, so see a doctor before traveling to an area where there is a high risk of contracting it. Our team will tell you the best ways to prevent this disease, including the below:

• Sleeping under a net.
• Wearing clothes that cover your skin to protect yourself from being bitten.
• Applying insect repellent.
• Taking medication throughout the trip that was prescribed by our doctors.

Preventing Diarrhea

At times, diarrhea can be linked to malaria. However, these issues are not mutually exclusive to one another. Even if you aren’t traveling to an area where malaria is present, you can still develop diarrhea, which can quickly destroy any plans you had for your travels. To avoid this from happening, we recommend taking the following steps:

• Avoid eating any undercooked meat.
• Steer clear of buffet areas that have moist food at room temperature.
• Only drink water that came from unopened bottles.
• Keep your mouth closed when showering.
• Don’t brush your teeth with tap water.