Travel Injuries 101

Amber Belt, ND  

Summertime travel seems like it’s in full swing! I travel a lot and it’s great to see families going out in the world and enjoying experiences with each other.

If there’s one thing that can ruin your vacation, it’s getting hurt! 

Tripping, falling, and hurting yourself is one of the most common injuries that can happen while traveling. When I was at the airport a few days ago, I saw an elderly lady who had tripped and fell on a moving sidewalk. She was in pain, bleeding, and receiving medical help. I guarantee that her trip was drastically changed by that fall!

In this article, I want to tell you a little more about common injuries that happen with a trip & fall and how to deal with them if they do happen. With more knowledge, you can decide if you want to enter the Medical Matrix and go to urgent care or if you can handle an injury yourself.

Common injuries to look for after a fall include:

· Cuts & scrapes

· Bruising

· Fractures (broken bones, usually wrists or ankles)

· Sprains & strains (usually ankles, knees, wrists)

· Dislocated joints (usually shoulders)

· Back pain

If you have dislocated a joint, you will want immediate medical attention to get the joint put back into place. And if you suspect a fracture, you should seek higher care to get an X-ray. It can be difficult to advocate for yourself when you are in pain and scared, so if you are going to urgent care or the emergency room bring someone with you who can advocate for you.

Cuts, scrapes, bruising, and back pain may or may not require a trip into the Medical Matrix. Always use your own judgement when you’re deciding to seek emergency care. 

Below are a few red flags that may prompt you to go to urgent care or the emergency room:

· Unable to stop a cut from bleeding

· A particularly deep cut that may need stitches (you don’t want an infection!)

· Bruising that is swelling rapidly and creating a lot of pressure (a big hematoma might need medical intervention)

· Joints that are so swollen that they are causing issues with circulation

· Back pain that is radiating into the legs, especially if it is going below the knee joint

· Back pain that is greater than 8/10 on the pain scale

Again, always use your own judgement! This article is for educational purposes and should not be a substitute for medical advice.

If you are managing minor injuries from your hotel room or your B&B, here are some tips that can help!

· To stop bleeding, cayenne pepper or Stop Bleeding Powder from Sage Sirona can be helpful. Bleed Stop can be found at the drugstore and works well to stop bleeding, too.

· Cleaning a wound with saline wash or Boo Boo Spray will help prevent infection. After the wound is clean, applying Calendula Salve, Super Salve, or antibiotic ointment will continue to provide protection from infection. For shallow cuts, Calendula Salve will speed the healing process.

· Homeopathic Arnica pellets are great for any kind of trauma, but especially if there is bruising involved. Arnica is also great as a cream or gel when applied to a bruise!

· T Relief is a topical cream that works very well for pain and swelling of bruising, sprains, and strains.

· Epsom salt baths can relieve muscle pain and soreness from a fall, including mild to moderate back pain.

· Pain patches can be very helpful when managing a sprain, strain, or muscle pain. There are many varieties of pain patches out there. We include a pain patch in our Auto Kit and you can find over the counter pain patches with lidocaine that provide relief, too.

· For pain management, I lean towards natural pain relievers like Tetracumin QR by Tessarect and Cell Rescue (found in our first aid kits). I really dislike ibuprofen and personally will only use it as a last result if natural pain relievers can’t control my pain.

It’s best to plan ahead and bring at least some of these first aid items with you when you travel. You can find many of these items on our website. You should particularly check out the Auto Kitand the Home & Office Kit.

My Fullscript store also has some of the items I mention above and I particularly like Fullscript for ordering my Tetracumin QR! You can click here to check out my Fullscript store, where I offer a 10% discount on the products!

I hope these tips help you to plan ahead and make your next trip less stressful. 

Bookmark this page for easy access just in case you need it and safe travels this summer!