Traveling overseas provides unique health challenges. You will be farther away from your family doctor. You will also have to worry about obtaining insurance and about the unique health risks that can exist in other countries.

See Your Family Doctor

Make sure to see your family doctor before you go on vacation. Your doctor will be able to determine whether it is safe for you to travel to another country. Make sure to provide information on where you will be traveling to so your doctor will be informed of the unique risks of that destination. Be clear about the types of activities you intend to perform. 

Keep Up-To-Date With Your Vaccines

Your family doctor will make sure that you are up-to-date with all of your vaccines. This is essential, especially if you will be traveling to a part of the world where there will be no guarantees that those living within your destination will be up-to-date on their vaccines. Inquire about whether there are any vaccines that are recommended in your destination. 

Do Not Travel While Sick

It is not recommended that you travel while you are sick in many situations. You will not only put yourself at risk of getting sick, but you will also place those in the destination you are traveling to at risk. 

Learn About National Health Regulations

Ask your doctor about whether there are any health regulations in a particular country. You will most often encounter new health regulations at an airport where efforts are made to prevent the spread of highly pathogenic diseases. Immigration officials may even board the plane and assess the health of passengers. If a passenger is discovered who has the signs of a pathogenic illness, he or she may be quarantined. 

Get A Dental Check-Up

Have a dental check-up before traveling. If you have dental problems while traveling, it can be more difficult and expensive in some countries to receive a treatment. With dental problems, the sooner you receive treatment, the better.

Do Not Travel While Pregnant

It is not recommended that you travel overseas with a baby who is less than two days old. If you are 36 weeks into your pregnancy, most family doctors will not recommend that you travel overseas. Also, be aware of whether certain diseases may have serious impact on the health of your unborn child, such as the Zika virus. But with the proper safety precautions, you can reduce your chances of having an incident.