Health and medicine

Diseases that you can catch while on vacation

Diseases that you can catch while on vacation
It takes approx. 3 minutes to read this article

We bring back from vacation a mass of positive impressions and pleasant memories. However, there are also unpleasant surprises in the form of more or less serious diseases. What are these diseases and how to protect yourself from them? Read on!

Inflammation of the bladder or urethra

Bathing in the sea undoubtedly has a positive effect on our health. However, resting on the beach is quite often the cause of cystitis or urethritis. Large temperature fluctuations are to blame for all this. You can bask for days on the hot sand, but it is enough to enter cold water once to develop urinary tract inflammation. This risk is also present when swimming in pools. That’s why doctors recommend limiting the time spent in the water to 5-7 minutes. You can also catch the proverbial wolf by walking around in a wet bathing suit.

Foot fungus

While on vacation we walk barefoot on the beach, river or lake shore, with which we expose ourselves to fungal infections. As a prophylactic measure, we can spray our feet with an antifungal product every week, which will help to nip the disease in the bud. For daily use, talcum powder will be better, which not only protects feet from fungal infections, but also prevents corns and odor.

Also exercise caution in public places such as shoe stores, swimming pools, saunas and gyms. Remember that the risk of infection is increased by any trauma or scratches on the feet.

Gastrointestinal infections

Common illnesses that can be caught while on vacation also include gastrointestinal infections, particularly viral infections, commonly known as stomach flu. Gastritis leads to diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain. The disease can also occur due to a bacterial infection. Then we have food poisoning, which is very easy to get, especially in summer, when food is easily spoiled by high temperatures.

The risk is particularly high in countries with lower hygiene standards. The microorganisms that cause symptoms vary, but Salmonella and strains of Escherichia coli predominate.

Cold 

Temperature fluctuations, drafts, long baths in bodies of water – all this can lead to a cold, even in summer. How to avoid it? First of all, do not turn up the air conditioning, eat ice cream and drink cool drinks in moderation. 

In addition to precautions, it’s also a good idea to toughen up your body in various ways. You can take alternate showers, walk barefoot on the grass and take sunbaths, keeping in mind that the safest time for this is in the morning (up to 11am) and in the afternoon (after 5pm). Hardening of the body is best started in the summer.

Tropical diseases

According to the Military Medical Institute, as many as 300 out of 100,000 tourists require hospitalization either during their stay or upon their return from Third World countries. Initially, an exotic disease can give symptoms similar to a cold or flu, so it is not worth downplaying any symptoms and going to the doctor as soon as possible. The most common and dangerous exotic diseases include malaria, cholera, tetanus, typhoid, and viral hepatitis.

main photo: unsplash.com/Chen Mizrach

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