MEDICAL CHECK-UP

We suggest that you have a medical checkup before your trip. This is a must if you have any medical condition or physical limitation.  Let your doctor know about any medical condition you have, particularly cardiac or respiratory disease or diabetes, and discuss the details of your itinerary as it pertains to your health.

PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS

Make sure to bring an ample supply of any prescription medications you take regularly.

When you visit your doctor, get a prescription for an antibiotic medication for gastrointestinal illness. One suggested medication is Ciprofloxicin, but consult your doctor for a good medication for you.

Quito is at high elevation. If you are prone to altitude sickness or have not been to high altitudes, we recommend a prescription for Diamox (Acetazolamide), a medication approved for treatment of altitude sickness. (Diamox shifts the acidity of your blood in a way that encourages somewhat deeper and more frequent respiration.) For most people, the only noticeable side effects are a mild increase in urination and a slight tingling in the fingers.

Consult with your doctor about the use, dosage, and inadvisability for Diamox (e.g. sulfa allergy).

DENTAL EXAM

A loose filling or developing cavity would be difficult to remedy in a remote area in South America. You may want to have a dental exam before your trip.

GET FIT FOR ADVENTURE

The minimum physical demands of your trip are not highly rigorous for a person in good physical fitness. But if you choose all the walks and excursions available, you’ll spend a lot of time on your feet. We walk over fairly rough trails, and climb many high stone steps. You’ll get the most enjoyment out of your trip if you are comfortable walking unassisted for tow or three hours each day.

We encourage you to exercise regularly in the weeks before your trip. Try to exercise for a minimum of 20 minutes, three days each week. Also, go walking as much as you can. Start slowly, and build up to longer walks.  If you can go hiking on trails, it will build your agility and help you prepare for walking on uneven surfaces.

You might even want to go jogging, or use a stair machine or exercise bike at a health club. You don’t need to be super-fit to enjoy yourself in Ecuador. But many travelers tell us that they wished they had exercised more before their trip. If you have not been active, you’ll be amazed how quickly you can fell stronger when you start to exercise, and you’ll be delightfully surprised with your new found stamina on the trip.

HEALTH IN ECUADOR

If you are planning a trip to Ecuador you should take some considerations on your health care. Our country's geography and climate, in certain cases may influence in the appearance of some ills. Also you should be precautious, specially in tropical areas, from diseases transmitted by insects. Last but not least, you need to be particularly cautious with respect to what you eat and drink because in some places food isn't always prepared with the best conditions of cleanness.

Weather and Altitude Sickness
Ecuador's weather is characterized for being very variable. In some places you can experience, in a single day, strong changes in temperature. This very common in the Andean region, where you can enjoy sunny mornings and electric storms followed by strong rains in the afternoon. High factor sunscreen, sunglasses and also warm clothes are recommended. In the Andean region you should be also cautious of altitude sickness. Ecuador is home to some of the highest volcanoes and mountain peaks in the world. Someone flying from New York City to Quito, for example, experiences an elevation change of nearly two miles in a little more than 6 hours. Abrupt changes in elevation such as this sometimes have ill effects on travelers. Altitude sickness usually manifests itself in insomnia, headaches, and/or nausea. To prevent altitude sickness, or to at least stave off some of its effects, ascend gradually to provide your body with time to adjust to the change. Obviously, if you are flying into Quito this will be impossible; the first thing you have to do is to avoid extreme physical efforts for the first two or three days. (Ex: running, lifting heavy objects, practicing sports) In the event that you do experience symptoms of altitude sickness, in most cases, they can be remedied by drinking lots of water, getting lots of rest, and taking aspirin.

Insects
No vaccine is required to enter Ecuador, but is good to know that in certain areas of the country, (tropical areas) exist the presence of insects that may transmit illness. The most common illness founded in tropical areas are malaria and yellow fever.

Malaria
On account of Ecuador's diverse geography, there is risk for Malaria in some parts of the country and not in others. Mosquitoes, the primary carriers of malaria, do not like heights. As a result, travelers run little risk of getting Malaria while in the mountains and mountain valleys of Ecuador's High Sierra Region. On the other hand, because mosquitoes thrive in the Ecuador's hot and humid Coastal region and the Amazon jungle lowlands, you must take the appropriate precautions while traveling in these regions. Travelers can eliminate much of the Malarial risk by taking prescription antimalarial drugs and protecting themselves against mosquito bites. You can protect yourself from mosquito bites by using insect repellent (the repellent must contain DEET), always wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and sleeping beneath mosquito nets.

Yellow Fever
Yellow Fever is a very rare cause of illness for travelers, but, if you plan on spending time in the rainforest or coastal lowlands, you should get immunized. Like Malaria, Yellow Fever is a disease transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. Likewise, you should follow the same precautions as with Malaria. Employ insect repellent, protective clothing, and mosquito netting to minimize the risk of bites from infected mosquitoes.

Food
One of the most common problems for travelers are the effects of food and water. This may occur because of two reasons. First, food may not be prepared hygienically (food vendors, popular markets, restaurants that may not seem clean) and second, the foreign immune systems are not accustomed to some bacteria or parasites present in food. (fruits, ice, tap water). The symptoms appear as relatively mild stomach and intestinal tract problems (diarrhea and occasionally vomiting).While in Ecuador, eat only well cooked food or fruits and vegetables you have peeled yourself, do not eat un-pasteurized dairy products, refrain from eating food sold by street vendors, eat only in restaurants that seem clean, and avoid ice in drinks. Drinking tap water is not advisable anywhere in Ecuador, so drink only bottled or boiled water. In case of a long trip to a place where you can't buy bottled water, you should buy water-purifier pills. Water-purifiers can be found in most camping/outdoor supply stores.

Pharmacies
You can find hundred of pharmacies in urban zones. Usually, in the big cities they are open in regular business hours, and you can find many of them open 24-hours a day. Some others (usually in residential neighborhoods) operate on a rotation system - look out for an illuminated "Turno" sign outside. It’s very common to find a doctor in each pharmacy, and they are pretty reliable for recommending a medicine or place injections. But in case of a serious illness or symptom is better to find a specialist.

Medical Care
Good medical care is available in Quito, Guayaquil, and most of the big cities. There is a lack of hospital infrastructure in small towns but you will find health centers that provide first aids. In Quito, Guayaquil and most of the province's capital cities you will find well trained and specialized doctors, many of them bilingual. Some embassies have lists of excellent multi-lingual doctors.