Portal Sickness
In the days before the Altairus portals were sealed, humans and faeries alike would traverse between worlds. However, moving from one world to another is not always so seamless. It was not uncommon for beings who used portals to develop symptoms related to the adjustment. This syndrome was dubbed "portal sickness."
Causes
Portal sickness has a lot to do with the temporal changes experienced when one travels via portal. Since time flows more slowly in Altairus than on Earth, spending an extended amount of time in Altairus tends to mess with the body's natural cycles.
This is compounded by the fact that Earth and Altairus's timezones do not match up perfectly. So in addition to the change in time flow, the afflicted suffer from jet lag. Insomnia and dehydration (common results of portal sickness) exacerbate the condition.
Symptoms
Portal sickness shares symptoms with jet lag and altitude sickness. The most common symptoms are:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- Dehydration
Less common symptoms:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Fever
- Anemia
Generally, the fitter and healthier someone is, the less likely they are to experience the more severe symptoms.
Treatment
Portal sickness will always resolve itself with time. In a few days to two weeks, the syndrome resolves itself completely as the body acclimates to the new time flow. Treatment mostly focuses on mitigating the symptoms. Certain herbal tea blends containing herbs like peppermint and chamomile are often used to treat the nausea, headache, and insomnia associated with the condition.
It is imperative to ensure that one suffering from portal sickness intakes enough fluids. Nausea can discourage the sufferer from taking anything by mouth, and if there is vomiting or diarrhea (less common, but can happen), there is an even greater risk of dehydration. If anemia becomes an issue, a diet high in iron can often resolve it.
Prevention
The likelihood and severity of portal sickness can be mitigated by taking it easy the first few days one travels to Altairus. Intense exercise should be avoided (though light exercise is more than encouraged). Learning to manage stress also mitigates the symptoms, as does spending time out in the sun while in Altairus (to encourage the circadian rhythm to readjust).
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