We’ve talked about the importance of having a travel health arsenal before. This starts with your first aid kit. You may already have an idea of what you should have in your first aid kit, but it’s always wise to make a checklist to make sure you are not missing any of the essentials. In this post, we will cover a few items that you should always have on hand.
A variety of plasters
You should have several sizes of bandages on hand along with some tape and gauze. You can’t plan for an injury or an accident so it’s best to be prepared for as many as possible. The bandages on the market now often come with antibacterial ointment already applied. There are also bandages that can be applied in areas that are normally difficult to treat – for example, the area between your thumb and the rest of your fingers. Have a look at what it is available at the pharmacy and make a diverse selection.
Creams and ointments
You should pack something for burns, itches and infection. The latter is particularly important if you are traveling in tropical developing world areas. Neosporin or another equally potent antibiotic topical agent will do the job.
Pain relief and allergy medication
One thing that most people forget to put in their first aid kits is something for pain relief. We recommend ibuprofen because it can help with inflammation as well. You also travel with Benadryl or the generic equivalent. You never know when you will have an allergic reaction to something and Benadryl can provide quick relief in most circumstances.
Any prescription medication and documentation of medical conditions
You may have a prescription medicines that you take on a regular basis. It is important that you travel with a sufficient quantity of these medicines and you should always have a back-up supply. All medicines should be clearly labeled with their intended recipient. If you have any medical conditions, you should have the documentation with you. For example, if you are allergic to a particular antibiotic, this should be noted and you should carry this information with you.
You may not have the time to put together a proper first aid kit. In this case, consider paying for a pre-made kit like one of the Bull First Aid Kits. Pre-made kits come already assembled with everything you need and you can pick one that is tailored to the type of travel that you will be doing.
If you have any thoughts about what should go in your first aid kit, please share them in the comments.
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