Summer is a great time to travel. Whether it’s a road trip across the state to visit Grandma and Grandpa, or flying to an exotic resort in a tropical location, many people take advantage of summer breaks from school and work to plan a vacation.
We bet you’d be surprised to know that the simple act of traveling to a new place can actually put you at risk for a nasty health problem known as traveler’s diarrhea. Gross, right? Nothing ruins a vacation faster than having to flee to the closest urgent care clinic because you have to use the bathroom every 30 seconds. Literally.
At our Medics USA urgent care center in Falls Church, we’re very familiar with traveler’s diarrhea, and can provide you with some tips for preventing it as well as treating it. And if you’re ever in the Falls Church area when a case of traveler’s diarrhea strikes, you’ll know exactly which urgent care to call.
Why Does Diarrhea Strike When You Travel?
“When you visit a place where the climate, social conditions, or sanitary standards and practices are different from yours at home, you have an increased risk of developing traveler’s diarrhea,” explains the Mayo Clinic. This is why it’s so important to be careful about the foods and beverages you ingest while traveling to a strange place, especially outside the country.
What Are The Symptoms Of Traveler’s Diarrhea?
- Loose stools that occur three or more times a day
- An urgent, desperate need to defecate that can’t be controlled
- Abdominal cramps before, after, and during bowel movements
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fever
Should You Visit An Urgent Care For Traveler’s Diarrhea?
In most cases, traveler’s diarrhea is only a temporary health problem that resolves itself within several days, or by the time you get home. However, if the symptoms last a long time or seem particularly severe, you may need to visit an urgent care center to determine if it’s being caused by something more dangerous than strange bacteria.
Medics USA operates several urgent care clinics, including one in Falls Church, that can help you with your traveler’s diarrhea. Schedule an appointment with us now!