Pack a Medical Kit for a Trip


When planning for a trip, a medical kit is not often the first item most people think to pack. Considering the variety of ailments that can occur while traveling, it is important for people to remember to pack a small personal medical kit filled with all of the items that are needed to treat any conditions that may arise.

Steps

Include the First-Aid Basics

  1. Include plenty of wound-care items for both minor scrapes and more significant wounds. Add different size adhesive bandages, gauze pads, adhesive tape, cotton balls, a small travel size container of peroxide and alcohol swabs or pads.
  2. Include any apparatus that may be necessary, such as tweezers for splinter removal, small scissors for cutting tape and safety pins for fastening splints and bandage wraps.
  3. Include the standard ointments and creams for all types of conditions. Pack antibiotic ointment to prevent infections in cuts and scrapes, a corticosteroid cream for relieving itching and reducing inflammation from bites, scrapes and other injuries, Caladryl® lotion for contact with poison ivy and similar plants, and an aloe gel for soothing minor burns.
  4. Stock up on relief aids that can help with minor conditions. Include pain relief medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen for headaches, toothaches, muscle soreness, fever and any other minor conditions that may develop while you are traveling.
  5. Add digestive aids such as antacids, anti-nausea medication, laxatives and medications that treat diarrhea. Also bring medications and treatment options for allergies and sinus problems. Include anti-allergy medication, saline nasal spray, eye drops, decongestants, antihistamines and throat lozenges.
  6. Include the basic emergency items that might be needed if an injury occurs. Bandage wraps for sprains, disposable cold packs to bring down swelling and heat bandages for muscle aches can all come in handy if a minor muscle injury occurs.
  7. Bring additional items that may come in handy if you are traveling to a location that is at-risk for illness and disease. Include anti-malaria medications, anti-fungal medications, an anti-pollution or respiratory mask and water purification tablets.
  8. Visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) or World Health Organization (WHO) websites if you are traveling out of the country. View their lists of recommended prophylactics for trips to specific areas of the world.

Personalize

  1. Take into account the personal health of each member of the family. Include items in the kit that are specific for each member. For example, if your teenage daughter suffers from migraine headaches, remember to include migraine medication and anything that may be used to offer migraine relief while traveling, such as disposable moist towelettes and fabric eye covers that block out light.
  2. Be sure to include ample medication for any members of the family who have chronic medical conditions. The last thing you want to have to deal with while away from home is trying to replace a daily medication that was lost while traveling.
  3. Notify your doctor about your travel plans and ask him for an extra prescription so that you can double up on your medications before you leave. Also ask for an additional prescription that you can carry with you and have filled while away, if necessary.
  4. Separate double doses into 2 separate locations. For example, place only one bottle in your medical travel kit, and place the other in an entirely different spot, such as your handbag or laptop carrying case. This ensures that you still have your medications if one item of luggage is lost or misplaced during your trip.

Remember to Bring Extras

  1. Bring an extra pair of eyeglasses or contact lenses if you currently wear them. Don’t forget an extra bottle of contact lens solution as well.
  2. Remember to include extra birth control medications or devices. Visit your physician and ask for an extra prescription if you take birth control pills. Be sure to have the prescription filled before you leave rather than bringing the prescription with you to fill while you are away. It is better to have the pills on hand if you need them than to have to scramble to have a prescription filled, which might not be so easy to do depending on where you will be traveling to.
  3. Finished.



Tips

  • Although many of the items that will be placed in a medical travel kit can be used for multiple family members, it is important to include any specific medications or treatments for all members of the family.
  • Have a “what if” mindset when packing your medical kit. Chances are that you will not need most of the items that you pack, however, it is always better to have them with you just in case the need arises. Think of the worst case scenario and include all of the items that you could very well need if an illness or injury occurs during your trip.

Warnings

  • Do not take any medicine you have not tried before, as side effects will be more difficult to cope with in an unfamiliar location without your doctor available to examine you.
  • Never drive under the influence of a prescription that causes drowsiness.
  • Refrain from taking prophylactic antibiotics to prevent illness while traveling unless recommended to do so by your physician. Antibiotics generally do not work this way, and will not help prevent most illnesses. Additionally, taking antibiotics in the absence of a bacterial infection can decrease your resistance to disease and increase the chances of antibiotics being ineffective if and when they are needed.

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