How To Avoid Those Pesky Travel Illnesses

Other posts by DesertMama

Getting sick while traveling is the worst. Back when I flew four days a week as a flight attendant, my compassion soared day after day for passengers who didn’t feel well. I have seen grown men screaming and crying from ear pain. I’ve seen non-stop sniffling, sneezing passengers who never covered their mouths, even after I handed them a box of tissues. Then there was the time the plane landed with a passenger still in the bathroom because he had food poisoning.

My grandmother often tells the story of the time (years and years ago) when she was having terrible ear pain while flying. The flight attendant kindly lit a cigarette and blew the smoke in her ear, relieving the pain. Obviously, today that remedy would be met with a a nice FAA fine but there are some new products that can help avoid ear pain and other ailments.

1. Avoid Ear Pain. First, never fly with a cold, especially a severe head cold. Some people, even when they’re not ill, still encounter clogged ears. If that describes you, consider EarPlanes. These are super cool, spiral shaped ear plugs that relieve ear discomfort, clogging and popping via a filter (called CeramX). They come in adult sizes and Small EarPlanes for the little people (ages 1-11). I used them on return trip from Quebec because I was feeling a bit congested and worried I would have some ear pain – they worked great!

2. Avoid the Cold All Together. Nozin Nasal Sanitizer is a citrus-scented liquid that is applied to the nose with a cotton swab and is designed to reduce the risk of catching colds and other airborne germs. It works up to 8 hours. The bottle is only .27 oz, so you won’t have any problems getting it though security. (I used it on my last trip and five out of the six flights, I was sitting next to people who were coughing or sneezing – and here I am on day five without a cold!)

3. Avoid Motion Sickness. I know all about this one. When I was a flight attendant, I flew six months pregnant with 24-hour sickness. It was not pretty. Here are two products to check out. (How I wish I had possessed both of these five years ago.)

Queasy Drops are tasty lozenges that are made to ease motion or morning sickness. Just suck on Queasy Drops throughout the day. There is even kid-friendly Queasy Pops for Kids (mine LOVE them).

Psi Bands (pronounced “Sigh Bands”) are acupressure wrist bands that help nausea caused by pregnancy and motion sickness (See, you can ride in the back of the plane or go on that sunset cruise after all!). The best part… look how cute they are! I’m thinking my pregnant sister-in-law could have used some Psi Bands.

4. Avoid Jet Lag. You’ve probably heard that not eating while flying can avoid jet lag – but I also know from those days working in the plane that people who don’t eat are simply asking for fainting, mood swings and low blood sugar. I’ve been using FlyRight jet lag formula and highly recommend it (read a past review here with other tips on how to stay healthy while traveling) for avoiding jet lag. In fact, if you comment on this post TODAY (2/20). I’ll be picking some winners to try FlyRight out for themselves – so leave a suggestion or comment about how you stay healthy while traveling.

5. Avoid Stomach Bugs. When I cross the border I don’t ask for ice or drink from the beer bottle that has been sitting in the bucket of ice, nor will I eat the chicken that has been sitting in the sun for god knows how many hours. After all, I have a childhood family vacation memory on that one. We were going to the Smoky Mountains but never made it. We ended up at a Pensacola motel while my parents were miserable and probably the sickest I had ever seen them. Thankfully, we kids dodged the bullet by having McDonald’s or Taco Bell. You do have to be careful of dehydration after food poisoning.

If you’re traveling and you have been sick, it’s best to give it a day or two to recover before boarding a plane.

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February 20, 2009 | Filed Under Flying High, The Cookie Jar 

Comments

22 Responses to “How To Avoid Those Pesky Travel Illnesses”

  1. Rebecca says:
    February 20, 2009 at

    I think this is the single most effective article I have ever come across anywhere, print or online. Short enough to breeze through and packed with important info on so many useful products. Just the essential facts and, with the information overload we now have online, the value of that can’t be overstated. Thank you.

  2. Aspiring says:
    February 20, 2009 at

    Awesome! Thanks for the great tips!

  3. Donna Hull says:
    February 20, 2009 at

    Thanks for the helpful post. I’m really curious about the Fly Right jet lag formula. Will try that on my next long trip.

  4. Steven Roll says:
    February 20, 2009 at

    One tip to add is: if you have any antibiotics at home bring ‘em. Our pediatrician was nice enough to prescribe some Cipro for us before our trip to Costa Rica. As luck would have it, I had a raging strep throat a few days after arriving there. But after taking the meds it quickly disappeared.

    Also, if you’re sick don’t hesitate to see a doctor in the area you’re visiting. Oftentimes, they have more experience than anyone in treating the ailments that strike tourists.

  5. Anna O says:
    February 20, 2009 at

    Thanks for this post! I’ve never flown with my 3-year-old who is prone to motion sickness in cars… the IDEA of boarding a plane with her terrifies me. I’m definitely going to try the Queasy Pops with her.

  6. Authentic Seacoast Resorts says:
    February 20, 2009 at

    Great tips, Beth. I know from experience that if you do get dehydrated from a bug, it is important to get some electrolytes in your body. A sports drink like Gatorade will help do that and bring you back to life quickly.

  7. Melody says:
    February 20, 2009 at

    Thank you so much for this incredibly helpful post – I’m going to try several of your suggestions. I take immune suppressing medication for a medical disorder so I continually worry about getting sick while traveling. I really appreciate your tips!

  8. Karen says:
    February 20, 2009 at

    Great article! Very practical advice. Just one thing about the headline – I believe the word is “pesky” not “pesty.”

  9. Allyn Evans says:
    February 20, 2009 at

    Hi, Beth!

    My husband is one of those folks who has severe ear pain when taking off and landing. He has found that taking an antihistamine an hour before depature usually solves his problem or at the very least lessens it to a point of discomfort only. It’s hard to watch someone experiencing ear pain when flying.

    Thanks for all these great tips.
    http://www.allynevans.blogspot.com

  10. DesertMama says:
    February 20, 2009 at

    Thanks, Karen. I went back and forth last night. I changed it. :)

  11. Nancy Brown says:
    February 20, 2009 at

    I’d be curious to try FliRight and PSI bands.

  12. Elizabeth says:
    February 20, 2009 at

    Oh man! This I definitely could have used before our Christmas trip to Mexico, where we had to drive an hour through the mountains to get between the town and my family’s place. Basically, the 4-yr-old on the trip got carsick. Every. Time. That’s like six times. Not fun at all, and he refused to take Dramamine because it tasted disgusting. Those queasy pops would have been idea.

  13. Judy says:
    February 20, 2009 at

    Wow I really want to try these earplanes for my grandson who is one. When he flys he always grabs his ears like they hurt. I think these will be great for him. I sometimes get ear pain it just depends on the flight. I would also like to try the earplanes for myself.

    I really liked your article, Thank you for the great tips.

  14. Ann Petronio says:
    February 20, 2009 at

    Great tips! My son has always had terrible ear problems (multiple tubes, multiple burst ear drums, etc.) I can tell you that the ear planes definitely do help. As do antihistamines (before you fly) and a squirt of nasal spray right before take off and landing.

  15. Prill Boyle says:
    February 22, 2009 at

    Great tips! I’ve used some of them myself, including PSI bands, but I love how you’ve consolidated so many ideas in one posting.

  16. L. Diane Wolfe says:
    February 22, 2009 at

    I always seem to get a cold right before I go on a big trip! So I definitely recommend stocking up on these items a month before the big travel day!

  17. ModernMom says:
    February 22, 2009 at

    Love this article. I’m now on the hunt for some PSI wrist bands for my kids and myself!

  18. Kim says:
    February 24, 2009 at

    I can’t wait to try the earplanes, my kids and I have terrible ear problems. I heard that the pilot can control the pressurization on the plane and if she pays attention can do it in such a way to lessen ear pain. Is that true? Because if it is, I have a few choice words for the pilot of the last Southwest flight I took.

  19. Boston Mamas says:
    February 25, 2009 at

    Wonderful tips! I’m going to link them in a roundup – thanks for sharing. -Christine

  20. Morag says:
    February 26, 2009 at

    I agree with the comments about decongestant spray – my ex husband had terrible ear problems to the point of his eardrum burst several times on a plane with a crack so loud that it sounded like a gunshot. A very nice fellow passenger suggested taking decongestant meds for 2 weeks before flying and using a nasal spray and “hey presto” no more ear problems – travel was suddenly an option for us!

  21. Enjoying Travel With Kids says:
    March 7, 2009 at

    I have another tip – don’t forget that your child has very recently had a tummy upset and give her orange juice… Yes, terrible parents that we are, we just forgot! The orange juice caused a minor problem (ok, major!) that meant the staff needed to change the cot sheets… Sorry!

  22. rob leriger says:
    April 28, 2009 at

    I am a firm believer in modern medicine but one alternative I have found is ginger pills instead of Gravol. Most people find that it works much better without the sore stomach.

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