Health
When in the States, remember the emergency services
telephone number - 911. If you have, or witness,
an accident or other medical emergency, a call
to this number will normally result in prompt
and efficient service, though you will be expected
to pay later for any treatment.
If you need a doctor, look up 'Physicians and
Surgeons' or 'Clinics' in the Yellow Pages.
You will have to pay, in advance, a consultation
fee (usually between $50-$100). And subsequent
medication can be fairly pricey. Remember to
keep receipts for insurance purposes.
US laws are tighter on proprietary medicines
than in the UK and many basic painkillers, for
instance, freely available in the UK can only
be acquired with a doctor's prescription. If
in doubt, ask for advice from the pharmacy department
in any drugstore.
European travellers
do not need any inoculations before travelling
to the US, because there are not as many diseases
as in some poorer parts of the world, but there
are other dangerous things to look out for:
HEATSTOKE or SUNSTROKE can easily
be brought on, especially if you are not used
to the high temperatures. Try avoiding the midday
sun and drink plenty of water. If you suffer
from any of the symptoms, nausea, headache or
light-headedness, then move into the shade,
or better still, get to an area with air conditioning
to cool you down.
SHARKS are a fairly common fear when
travelling to the US. However, there are rarely
fatalities. If you check with lifeguards, locals
and read signs, you should be able to distinguish
which are the safe areas to swim.
JET-LAG occurs when a long flight crosses
more than one time zone. The main symptoms are
fatigue and loss of appetite. It is important
to take this into consideration when planning
your trip as it can take a few days to get back
into a pattern and you do not want to be wasting
your time feeling groggy if your trip is only
short. Once you reach your destination, adjust
your habits immediately with the local time.
Taking walks is important as both light and
activity help your body clock to adjust. Naps
are not recommended as this only tricks your
body into thinking it is bed-time.
DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS (DVT), is believed
to be linked with long haul flights. Sitting
still for a long period of time reduces circulation,
which can in turn lead to clots. It is not something
to feel hugely concerned about as it is still
quite rare, but if you take all the necessary
precautions then you will be at a lower risk.
Those at higher risk are diabetics, stroke sufferers,
pregnant mothers and the obese.
PREVENTION OF DVT can be carried out
by taking regular walks up and down the aisle,
as well as performing neck and breathing exercises.
Tensing and relaxing the arm and leg muscles
should also keep the circulation flowing. Try
to avoid sleeping tablets and take some asprin
a couple of hours before your flight. If you
are really worried then compression stockings
can be bought, but they are usually advised
for those at higher risk. SYMPTOMS usually include
pain, swelling and warmth.
If you are worried about your health whilst
being abroad, visit www.masta.org,
which should fully prepare you for any eventuality.
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