MediCare International has ranked claims in order of prevalence and found a new environment is a major factor in health and claims are far from exotic.
The expatriate international private medical insurer looked at claims from the past two years, to find out which conditions were more prevalent than others.
The most common ailment is back problems. The insurer found carrying heavy cases, travelling on long haul flights, or sleeping in a different bed, all bring on this type of pain.
The second most common ailment is respiratory infections. This includes influenza, which can be brought on by being in new surroundings and picking up viruses, which the individual has no or little resistance to.
Air travel can be the perfect breeding ground for respiratory infection together with higher levels of pollution on congested streets, all of which makes for poor air quality.
Number three are gastro/abdominal problems. As with air quality, unfamiliar germs and bacteria can play havoc with a person's digestive system.
More serious problems such as dysentery are still commonplace for visitors to India for example, if precautions are not taken. Medicare noted it is almost impossible to safeguard oneself from these types of illnesses.
Fourth on the list is cancer. Asthma and Bronchitis are fifth on the list. As with respiratory problems, both conditions are exacerbated by poor quality air, new environments, or simply failing to treat existing health problems.
Hypertension, knee problems, eczema and skin conditions and urinary tract infections follow.
Debbie Purser, Managing Director at Medicare International said: "People often associate private healthcare with medical emergencies.
"The truth is, the most common conditions reflect everyday living difficulties which can be exacerbated whilst abroad, whilst others are conditions which are often brought about from the effects of travel and simply being in new environments.
"What is striking, though, is the proportion of these complaints which have a chronic aspect to them - back pain, cancer, respiratory, skin complaints - all of these can require on-going treatment."
