Pre-Travel & Post-Travel Medical Check-Ups. When Do You Need A Good Health Screening?

When to do a pre-travel medical check-up? In general, doing so two weeks to a month before your holiday commences can help avoid troublesome situations when you want to deal with them the least. Nothing hurts more than having to turn a long-awaited relaxing holiday into an arduous series of chain doctor’s appointments, possibly in another country. Individuals who deal with chronic conditions, such as asthma, cancer, or autoimmune diseases, would do well to get checked by a medical professional or perform a comprehensive pre-travel test at home. A post-travel check-up is only necessary when you experience unexplained symptoms within a few weeks to a few months after returning from your trip. We cover the topic in-depth in the rest of the article.

When to Do a Pre-Travel Medical Check-Up?

Planning a trip doesn’t involve only booking flights and setting a detailed itinerary. Prudent travelers will also want to ensure their health and overall condition remain in top-notch shape in order to prevent having to cut the trip short, or spend significant chunks of time on emergency doctor’s visits.

As such, the best time for a pre-travel check-up is right around two to four weeks before the start of your trip. This gives you plenty of time to assess general health, identify potential issues, get vaccinated against tropical diseases if necessary, and – most importantly – preserve your peace of mind.

Who Should Get a Check-Up Before a Trip?

While there is no general rule dictating who can or should evaluate their health before leaving on holiday, people suffering from a number of specific, chronic conditions should consult their healthcare providers ahead of time. 

Depending on the problem and its severity, the doctor may preemptively prescribe a special course of medication to ensure the trip goes smoothly. They may also advise the patient, informing them of what they should or shouldn’t do while away to prevent flare-ups or complications.

When is a check-up advisable? If you have any of the following conditions, consider a visit to your supervising doctor beforehand:

• Chronic medical conditions: patients with asthma, diabetes, hypertension, and others who regularly need to take medication should plan their trip together with their doctor. Traveling often introduces complications into treatment routines and regimens and requires planning ahead and consultation to minimize associated risks.
• Autoimmune diseases: undergoing chemotherapy or suffering from cancer, lupus, or other conditions compromising your immune system could increase your risk of flare-ups associated with exposure to a new environment.

Pregnancy: before traveling, expecting mothers should consult their gynecologist to assess whether it’s safe to embark on the trip. This is especially important in the later stages of pregnancy.

• Recent surgery: when recovering from a procedure, particularly an invasive one, getting the go-ahead from your doctor first may be necessary to ensure you don’t put yourself in jeopardy on your trip.

Additionally, there are a number of destination-dependent factors that may contribute to the necessity of a pre-travel check-up as well. 

• Allergies: if anything triggers your symptoms at home, chances are you might encounter problems at your destination as well. Holidaymakers should familiarize themselves with the allergens commonly found in the destination area and take necessary steps after consulting with a doctor.
• Dangerous endemic diseases: travel to various regions in South America, Asia, and Africa may pose a risk related to tropical illnesses, such as dengue, yellow fever, Zika, or malaria. Visiting your healthcare provider to obtain the proper vaccination is necessary to protect yourself from these pathogens, especially since some places will not let you in without inoculation.

Food and water safety: questionable sanitation standards can expose you to gastrointestinal contamination. A pre-travel check-up can offer preventive measures to manage these risks.

Are Pre-Travel Tests at Home Enough?

While a pre-travel test kit can’t replace a vaccination or pregnancy consultation, in many cases, it should suffice to obtain a general idea of your condition without needing to get tests ordered by a doctor. With the Ribbon home test, you can obtain a comprehensive screening for kidney and liver health, as well as a range of other conditions, and determine your overall condition. If anything suspicious comes up, the Ribbon app allows you to quickly connect with a doctor to discuss results and the next steps.

Should I Get a Post-Travel Check-Up as Well?

If you return from your trip all safe and sound with no worrying symptoms, then a post-travel check-up isn’t needed. However, some diseases take weeks or months to incubate. If your condition worsens unexpectedly a few weeks after your return with no immediate explanation as to why, a doctor’s appointment may be wise to determine the cause.

The Takeaway

Pre-travel check-ups are recommended for most travelers, particularly those with prevailing health issues or when headed to tropical destinations or regions with poorer sanitation standards. With the incredible advancements in at-home diagnostics, checking your health at home has become a viable solution as well. Ultimately, the decision depends on several factors, including your health situation and destination.

You may also read: Revolutionizing Kidney Health: The Impact of At-Home Kidney Tests