Sunday, July 29, 2018

What's in a Complete Travel First-Aid Kit?

When traveling domestically or far afield, I carry most, if not all, of the following first-aid items because you never know when you’ll have an accident or end up with an unexpected ailment. And, even if the city you’ll be visiting isn’t lacking a pharmacy, it might very well be closed just when you need it. This list is even more essential when your trip involves a biking, hiking or other adventure-type trips.


• Quik-Clot - an ultra-specialized bandage to stop bleeding when you know that simply holding a gauze pad won’t work, such as in someone taking anti-clotting medication or who suffers from a clotting disorder.
• Bonine - to prevent motion sickness


• Saline eye wash - to wash out debris from your eye


• Aleve (naproxen) - for pain


• Aspirin - for fever or a heart attack


• Alcohol-based hand sanitizer


• Gauze pads and adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes


• ACE bandage - for sprains, strains, pulled muscles


• Bacitracin - topical triple antibiotic ointment


• Topical cortisone - for itching/rash


• Oral Benadryl - antihistamine for allergies


• Caladryl lotion - for itching/rashes


• Mylanta or Tums chewable tabs - antacid


• Sudafed - oral decongestant


• Afrin nasal spray - nasal decongestant


• Pepto-Bismol - chewable tabs to prevent traveler’s diarrhea
• Imodium AD - to treat diarrhea
• Probiotic - for good intestinal health (or a mild laxative such as OTC Miralax)
• Azithromycin or Zithromax (Z-pac) - a prescription antibiotic for severe diarrhea
• EpiPen - a prescription of injectable adrenalin in case of a severe, life threatening allergy (anaphylactic) reaction
• Digital oral thermometer


• Sawyer Controlled Release - DEET-based insect repellent OR
All Terrain Herbal Armor - a DEET-free insect repellent


• Blister kit, including moleskin, Spenco Second Skin, and Band-Aid blister bandages


• Robitussin liquid gel - cough suppressant


• Ricola throat lozenges


• Tweezers - to help remove a splinter or even a tick


• Neutrogena or another broad-spectrum sunscreen - at least SPF 30


• Steripen - UV device to decontaminate water


• Monistat cream - for women in case of a vaginal yeast infection


• Blistex lip ointment/balm


• Aloe gel - for sunburn


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