Travel Well

her MEDICAL is an accredited YELLOW FEVER VACCINATION facility

Whether travelling overseas for business or pleasure, her MEDICAL onsite doctors are here to help with having a safer and worry-free travel experience.

The Australian Department of Health and Aged Care recommends that travellers have appropriate immunisation for travel to places with an increased risk of being exposed to a disease as a result of contaminated water, food, infected people, cuts, and insects or being bitten by a native animal.

Vaccines protect travellers from these risks of contracting a disease. Different countries also require different vaccinations and/or a booster if already vaccinated.

There are a number of factors that depend on what vaccines are recommended and required including:

• Age
• Pregnancy or planning pregnancy
• Underlying medical conditions
• Vaccination history
• Location of travel
• Season of travel

her MEDICAL recommends seeing a General Practitioner between 6 to 8 weeks prior to departure to develop full immunity and whether several doses of a vaccine are required.

Vaccinations can prevent contracting any of the following:

• COVID-19
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Influenza
• Japanese encephalitis
• Meningococcal disease
• Rabies
• Tuberculosis
• Typhoid
• Varicella (Chickenpox)
• Yellow fever
• Cholera
• Measles

Know your health status to avoid health risks & complications on your trip

her MEDICAL believes that planning prior to travelling can prevent unforeseen health issues on your journey. A pre-travel physical is a precautionary measure to review your overall general health, your fitness and what activities to avoid.

A physical assessment before departure is highly recommended should a patient suffer from any pre-existing conditions including:

• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Asthma
• Autoimmune disease
• Existing allergies
• Recent surgery

This is also important and recommended for pregnant women.

It is important to consult with a General Practitioner prior to travelling to discuss any medications currently being taken and any required medical devices.

Not all countries allow certain medications, especially without a doctor’s prescription or certification. It is recommended to check The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in Australia for additional information on travelling with medicines.

Prescriptions from Australia generally cannot be filled overseas so it is very important that you have enough medication for the duration of your trip.

her MEDICAL onsite doctors provide peace of mind about taking medications on your travels and can provide accompanying documentation required for medication that is prescribed.

Getting to the destination is generally fun, the jet lag, not so much.

The body is synchronised to night and day by the action of sunlight through brain chemicals or neurotransmitters, especially melatonin.

Jet lag is a disruption of the body’s circadian rhythm that occurs with plane travel across three or more time zones. There is no cure for jet lag, but its effects can be reduced with planning.

Symptoms of jet lag

• Fatigue
• Sleepiness
• Digestive upsets
• Headache
• Impaired judgement and decision making
• Memory lapses
• Irritability
• Apathy

Minimising the impact of jet lag

The key to getting over jet lag is to get your body’s circadian rhythm aligned with the sunrise and sunset schedule at your destination. The best way to reset your sleep/wake cycle is to go outside into the sunlight and do some exercise.

We’ve listed a few strategies to help you with your adjustment to jet lag.

Pre-flight:

• Ensure a good sleep before departure
• Adjust your sleep schedule
• Having a stopover on a long-haul flight may help

During the flight:

• Avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks
• Drink a lot of water
• Try to sleep whenever you feel sleepy
• Eat small meals often
• Walk around the cabin as much as possible
• Wear an eye mask 

In your new time zone:

• If you have travelled eastward, get some sunshine in the early morning and if you have travelled westward, aim for sunlight in the evening
• Make sure you keep the room as dark as possible when you try to sleep at night
• For the first few days, take short naps to help you stay more alert
• Make sure you nap for no more than 30 minutes, and that you are awake for at least 4 hours before bedtime
• Try to mimic your usual bedtime routine
• Use relaxation techniques

The body needs anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to acclimatise to the new time zone. As a general rule, it takes about a day to recover for each time zone.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot that forms in the deep veins of the leg. It is a rare but dangerous medical problem which occurs when blood in the legs clots. Serious problems occur when the clot dislodges from the leg and moves towards the heart or lungs.

Long periods of immobility, especially during long-distance travel, is associated with an increased risk of DVT.

Travellers who are at higher risk of developing DVT, include the following:

• Having a history of thrombosis
• Family history of abnormal clotting
• Being overweight or obese
• Pregnant
• Having a history of cancer
• Certain medications
• Smokers
• Aged 40 or older
• Varicose veins
• Recent surgery

The following may be helpful to reduce the risk of DVT:

• Drink plenty of water
• Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and caffeine
• Regularly move around the cabin and once you have arrived at your destination
• Do calf and foot stretches while travelling
• Wear compression stockings
• Wear loose clothes
• Do not cross legs while travelling

Book an appointment with your doctor before you travel if you have concerns about developing DVT.

her MEDICAL can identify any risk factors and advise on what measures should be taken into consideration.

Motion sickness is a common problem that anyone can get from any type of transport including cars, trains, buses, boats or planes.

Motion sickness is a general unwell feeling with nausea being the main symptom.

Symptoms include:

• Sweating (hot & cold)
• Dry mouth
• Vomiting
• Dizziness & feeling light-headed
• Headaches
• Pale skin
• Inability to walk
• Persistent retching
• Irritability

Some of the symptoms may last for a few hours following the end of the journey despite the absence of the motion but generally resolve on their own.

The following tips may help with motion sickness:

• Do not travel on an empty stomach
• Drink plenty of water
• Choose carefully where you sit on aircraft, buses or trains
• Try to keep your head and body as still as possible during turbulences, take-off and landing
• Choose your cabin carefully if on a cruise, boat or ship
• Reading may increase the chances of experiencing motion sickness
• Access fresh air, air conditioning or open an air vent to stay cool

Natural Remedies that may help:

• Ginger
• Mint and lavender aromatherapy
• Acupressure and using an acupressure band or bracelet

Motion sickness medications are also sold over the counter at local chemists and pharmacies.

Engaging in safe sex while travelling and on holiday is essential to your health!

Contracting an STI while on holiday can be a burden while travelling and many times, there are no symptoms present in a sexual partner during the time of intercourse. While symptoms may not be present, STI’s are passed through bodily fluids and can have a long-term effect on any one individual including infertility.

STI checks are recommended for individuals who engaged in unsafe sex during their travels and every 3-6 months for people with multiple partners.

Most STI’s can easily be treated with antibiotics while others have no cure and will need to be diagnosed, treated and managed for the remainder of one’s life.