Treating Traveller's Diarrhoea

Traveller's diarrhoea is highly unpleasant and being confined to the toilet can put a real downer on any vacation. The fact that it is usually harmless and will clear up naturally after a few days offers little solace when you are affected by it. To speed up your recovery, you can do a few things, the most important of which is to ensure that you maintain your salt and fluid levels.

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Due to the characteristically high excretion of liquids, the body loses large amounts of not only water, but also essential electrolytes and salts – a healthy water and electrolyte balance is vital to keep the body functioning and severe dehydration such as for example induced by untreated cholera can lead to death within as little a a day.

It is a good idea to take some rehydration sachets with you. They can be bought over the counter at the pharmacy. Simply dissolve the powder containing important nutrients in water safe for human consumption and drink to replace the fluids lost due to traveller's diarrhoea. If you do not have access to purified water, flat fizzy drinks can be used alternatively. If you do not have any rehudration sachets, an emergency concoction can be made out of 8 teaspoons of sugar and one teaspoon of salt dissolved in one litre of drinkable water.

Bread, pasta, rice and other foods rich in carbohydrates and fibre are a good choice for a poorly tummy and while you are sick you should stay clear of spicy dishes or rich foods that are hard to digest. Flat cola and salty pretzel sticks can also help you replenish your sugar and salt levels. If you experience vomiting, nausea and stomach cramps you might require additional antibiotic treatment. Ciproflaxin can be prescribed to you preventively so you have got the tablets with you while you are away and do not have to rely on local medical supplies and healthcare.

So-called antimotility agents alleviate the primary symptoms of diarrhoea and can provide considerable relief to the sufferer, especially if the urgency is difficult to manage such as during a long journey. Loperamide is the most common medicine of this drug class and can be bought over the counter. You should refrain from using such treatments if the diarrhoea does not pass within 3 days, if your stool is bloody or if you are feverish as this may be an indicator for another condition requiring medical care. Loperamide allows for longer food absorption in the gut thus increasing the amount of time food stays in the digestive tract before being excreted, which can pose an increased health risk if the cause of the diarrhoea is cholera for example, as it will allow the pathogen to stay in the digestive tract for longer.

If your stools contain blood, yellowish or greenish mucus and if you have high fever, seek medical help as soon as possible. It should also not be underestimated how quickly the body can become dehydrated. If you are unable to drink sufficiently while suffering from diarrhoea, which may manifest itself in dry lips and tongue, dark urine and less urine volume as well as confusion or dizziness, obtain medical advice without delay.

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