Travelers from arround the world especially from the western may acquire tropical infections while they travel in the tropics. There are many symptoms that suggest tropical infections such as fever, diarrhea, skin rash, etc. These group of patients may develop symptoms while or after their trips. They should tell the doctors about their travel history to help the doctors find the diagnosis. If you get sick in the tropics, it is strongly recommended to seek for the medical care
We are specialized in Tropical / Travel medicine. So we can provide a comprehensive medical care in diagnosis, lab testing and treatment of many tropical diseases such as
1. Travelers’ diarrhea
What’s Travelers’ diarrhea?
Travelers' diarrhea is the most common illness affecting travelers. Every countries is at risk for travelers' diarrhea. But most cases occur in developing countries of Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. In Thailand, prevalence of travelers' diarrhea is much lower nowadays, due to better sanitary conditions.
What causes travelers’ diarrhea?
Germ in the unclean food or drink can cause travelers' diarrhea.The most common causative agent is enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). Other pathogens can cause travelers' diarrhea such as campylobacter, salmonella, shigella, vibrio spp., and many kinds of intestinal parasites.
What are the common symptoms of traveler’s diarrhea?
The onset of travelers' diarrhea usually occurs within the first week of travel, but it may occur at any time while traveling. It also can occur shortly after you get home.
Diarrhea usually occurs abruptly. The illness results in increasing frequency and amount of loose or watery stool. It usually causes 5-10 bowel movements each day. Other common symptoms are abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, bloating, and fever.
What is the natural course of disease?
Even without treatment, travelers' diarrhea usually subsides with in 2-5 days. Most cases are mind. Some cases may having dehydration, fatique, and high grade fever, mayrequired hospitalization.
What is the treatment of travelers’ diarrhea?
Whenever possible, you should have your stool checked to find the causative pathogen. Most travelers' diarrhea is treated with appropriate antibiotics and supportive treatment. Oral rehydration is recommended to replace the lost fluid and electrolytes. Hospitalized cases usually require intravenous fluid rehydration.
Where can I seek for medical care if I have diarrhea?
THE TOURIST CLINIC is located on the tourist's attractive place such as Patong Beach. If a visitor stay not far from here, they can visit THE TOURIST CLINIC which is one of the best tourist's health center that provide professional treatment for diarrhea. At THE TOURIST CLINIC, We give a proper treatment to an individual patient. And we also provide a wide range of the treatment from common to severe diarrhea. Medicine, Intravenous Fluid, Private room for observation and Insurance Claim Documents are well prepared for our patients. Our working hour 9.00 - 24.00 every day or 24 hours service for doctor visit hotel (www.doctorvisithotel.com)
Contact Now 076 297 000 for making an appointment with our doctor.
How can I prevent travelers' diarrhea?
Travelers' diarrhea is caused by a pathogen in unclean food or drink. Here are some useful tips.
- Avoid eating food or drinking beverage from uncertain origin.
- Avoid eating raw or undercooked meat and seafood.
- Avoid unpasteurized dairy products.
- Don't drink tap water.
- Bottled water is probably safe, but be sure the cap and seal are not broken.
- Bottled carbonated beverages and canned drinks are normally safe.
- See more information for Food and Water Safety
2. Swimmer's ear
What Is External Otitis?
The medical terms for swimmer's ear are external otitis or otitis externa. Swimmer's ear is an infection of the ear canal (the tubular opening that carries sounds from the outside of the body to the eardrum) that can be caused by many different types of bacteria or fungi. It usually develops in ears that are exposed to moisture.
Swimming in polluted water can lead to swimmer's ear. Water-loving bacteria such as Pseudomonas, as well as other bacteria or fungi (in rare cases), can cause ear infections.
People who get external otitis often have been diving or swimming for long periods of time. This can bring infectious bacteria directly into the ear canal. External otitis occurs most often during the summer months — when more people are participating in water activities.
People who don't swim can also develop external otitis by scratching their ear canals when they try to clean their ears. This is especially true if they use cotton-tipped applicators or dangerously sharp small objects, like hair clips or bobby pins. Sometimes, in a person with a middle ear infection (otitis media), pus collected in the middle ear can drain into the ear canal through a hole in the eardrum and cause otitis externa to develop.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of External Otitis?
The primary symptom of external otitis is severe ear pain that gets worse when the pinna, or outside part of the ear, is pulled or pressed on. Sometimes there is itching in the ear canal before the pain begins. The outer ear may become reddened or swollen, and lymph nodes around the ear may become enlarged and tender. There also may be a greenish-yellow discharge of pus from the ear opening. It can be hard to hear in the affected ear if pus or swelling of the canal begins to block passage of sound into the ear. A slight fever may accompany external otitis.
There is no set time that it takes external otitis to develop, but the ear pain often follows an episode of swimming or water immersion and develops gradually over several days.
Can I Prevent External Otitis?
You may be able to prevent external otitis by using acid alcohol drops after you've finished swimming for the day. (You shouldn't use these drops if you have ear tubes or a hole in your eardrum.) It's also a good idea to dry your ears thoroughly with a clean towel after swimming, bathing, or showering.
Keep all objects out of your ear canals — including cotton-tipped applicators — unless your doctor has told you it's OK to use them.
Prevention - Protect ears from further damage.
- Do not scratch the ears or insert cotton swabs or other objects in the ears.
- Keep ears clean and dry, and do not let water enter the ears when showering, shampooing, or bathing.
- Dry the ear thoroughly after exposure to moisture.
- Avoid swimming in polluted water.
- Use earplugs when swimming.
- Consider mixing 1 drop of alcohol with 1 drop of white vinegar and placing the mixture into the ears after they get wet. The alcohol and acid in the vinegar help prevent bacterial growth.
How Long Does It Last?
If it's treated with prescription ear drops, external otitis is usually cured within 7 to 10 days. The pain should lessen within a few days of treatment.
External otitis is not contagious, so you don't have to limit your contact with friends as long as you're feeling well enough to socialize.
Should I Call My Doctor?
You should call your doctor if you have any of the following:
- pain in an ear with or without fever
- persistent itching of the ear or in the ear canal
- loss of hearing or decreased hearing in one or both ears
- discharge from an ear, especially if it's thick, discolored, bloody, or bad-smelling
- These are all signs that you may have external otitis.
Exams and Tests
The doctor or nurse will examine you and look inside your ears. The ear area will look red and swollen. The skin inside the ear canal may be scaly or shedding.
Touching or moving the outer ear increases the pain. The eardrum may be difficult to see because of a swelling in the outer ear. Or, the eardrum may have a hole in it. This is called a perforation.
A sample of fluid may be removed from the ear and sent to a lab to identify any bacteria or fungus.
How Is External Otitis Treated?
If you think you have external otitis, you should see your doctor. This is the fastest way to relieve the ear pain and to prevent the spread of infection.
Your doctor's treatment for external otitis will depend on how severe the pain and the infection are. For most all outer ear infections, your doctor may prescribe ear drops containing antibiotics or maybe mixed with corticosteroids. These will help fight the infection and reduce swelling of the ear canal. For full treatment, ear drops are usually given several times a day for 7 to 10 days.
If the opening into your ear is narrowed by swelling, your doctor may clean your ear and insert a wick into your ear canal to help carry ear drops into the ear more effectively. If you have a severe infection, he or she may give you antibiotics to take by mouth as well. Your doctor may take a culture of the discharge from your ear to help identify what type of germ is causing the infection.
What Can I Do to Make Myself Feel Better?
Place a warm cotton cloth or heating pad against your ear to help relieve the pain. You may also take acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
At home, follow your doctor's directions for using ear drops and take all oral antibiotics as prescribed (don't stop taking these even if you feel better; it's important to take the full course of any antibiotics your doctor prescribes). To avoid contaminating the infected ear, your doctor will probably tell you to keep your head out of water for several days or weeks — even while showering or shampooing! This can be tough, but your doctor can give you suggestions on how to do this, such as using a shower cap or cotton earplugs coated with petroleum jelly (removed after the shower is finished).
If your ear pain is not relieved by over-the-counter pain medications, your doctor may order a stronger prescription pain reliever. You'll use this only for a short time — until the ear drops and antibiotics begin to work.
Alternative Names
Ear infection - outer ear - acute; Otitis externa - acute; Chronic swimmer's ear; Otitis externa - chronic; Ear infection - outer ear - chronic
