As crazy as it sounds, we’re quickly approaching summer! For many of us, that means it’s time to go on vacation. While traveling can be stressful for everyone, it can pose some unique challenges to the more than 100 million people in the United States with allergies.
Before You Travel
Taking steps before you even leave for your trip can help ensure that allergies don’t ruin your vacation. Some things to consider doing include the following:
- Make an appointment with your healthcare provider before your trip. Discuss any concerns you have, as well as where you’re going and what activities you have planned so that your provider can give you specific recommendations on how to stay safe and make sure you have the proper medication when traveling.
- Pack any needed medical supplies. Make sure you have all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, inhalers, EPIPENs® and any other allergy treatments you might need. Bring enough for the entire time you’re traveling and a few extra days in case of delays. Remember your medical alert bracelet or any other important health documents if you have them, too.
- Bring your own snacks. If you have food allergies, consider packing some safe snacks, so you have food to eat while on the flight or waiting to board at the airport or train station.
Preventing Allergies While on Vacation
It’s also important to know what steps to take while on vacation to minimize the risks of experiencing allergy symptoms.
- Know what you’re eating. Going out to eat and trying different cuisines is an exciting part of travel. However, if you have food allergies, you need to be extra cautious before trying anything new. When out to eat, ask your server about the ingredients in your dish as well as the risk of cross-contamination. Only eat something if you are completely sure that a dish is safe.
- Be prepared. Have your inhaler, allergy medication and EPIPEN® on you wherever you go during your vacation, and make sure you feel comfortable in knowing how to use it in case you start to experience severe symptoms from an accidental exposure.
- Check pollen levels in your area. If you suffer from seasonal allergies, stick to indoor activities during your vacation on high pollen days. You can easily check pollen levels in your location by searching online or looking on weather apps.
For more information about traveling with allergies, call the specialists at Midwest Allergy & Asthma today.