When you want to enjoy the most, unpleasant situations can surprise you out of nowhere. Personal health care is the most significant point as well as the ability to help ourselves in situations when we need it, and that’s why the first aid kit is a mandatory item in the suitcase when we go on a trip. Any travel enthusiast or doctor will advise you the same since you never know when things may go in the wrong direction. Whether you go on a relaxing holiday to the seashore, a cruise, or an extreme adventure, there’s always the danger of accidental injury. Parents traveling with children especially shouldn’t forget about these precautions. Of course, that doesn’t mean you need to take your entire home medicine cabinet with you – the basic equipment that will provide universal assistance in various accidents will be sufficient.
Many people aren’t quite sure what the basic content of first aid should be. You don’t have to worry, there are experts you can consult and places where you can get information. This article will help you solve the dilemma and go on vacation in peace.
If you’re currently planning a trip and are wondering what the first aid travel should contain, keep reading!
1. Band-aids
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Regardless of whether you accidentally cut yourself and got a small scratch or the injury is bigger and you need to fasten gauze with something, band-aids are inevitable.
Bought new sandals that you could hardly wait to walk to a new destination or next to the beach, but suddenly there comes that well-known pain and discomfort? Bloody blisters ruined your well-groomed feet? The only thing you’ll want to have with you in moments like this is a pair of band-aids. Trust us, you’re going to hate yourself if they aren’t in your suitcase.
The fact is that you can buy them in any pharmacy in the destination, but they may be more expensive. Also, are you sure that in such a painful moment you’ll have the strength to walk to the pharmacy?
3. Bandages
Sprains aren’t something that happens rarely. A moment of inattention can result in your tripping and twisting your leg. The feeling isn’t pleasant at all and can cost you a few days of enjoyment until you recover.
Besides, in rented villas where people often stay, pillows can be uncomfortable and cause shoulder pain. Cooling and bandaging your back or neck might also become necessary.
These and many more examples testify to the fact that a bandage is a necessary ingredient of your first aid, so experts advise wearing one roll of bandages as a precaution. The next time you go to the pharmacy before the trip, don’t forget to buy them.
3. Gauze
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Without gauze, first aid doesn’t work. The benefits that passengers can get from gauze during injuries are multiple – cleaning wounds with the help of alcohol, absorbing excess blood, stopping bleeding… These are just some of the functions of gauze that can be quite useful in critical situations.
A cleaned wound and a sterile layer of gauze wrapped in a bandage can buy you time and help you until you reach the first ambulance.
Today, pharmacies sell them in various packages and forms. However, for travel purposes, a square one is recommended, as when in an emergency, you won’t have to think about where your scissors are in order to cut it.
4. Medications you use every day
There are a lot of chronic patients among tourists, as well as those who suffer from other diseases that require the daily consumption of certain medications. If use is skipped for a few days, that might cause some serious health consequences, which is why it’s unthinkable to go anywhere without these drugs.
Sometimes it depends on the purpose of the trip whether you’ll carry medications like these with you. Athletes with lower testosterone levels start consuming medications and injections weeks before going to tournaments and competitions – you can click here to find out more about this.
5. Small scissors
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Scissors can’t cure you but they’re essential either way. If you don’t want to cut the gauze or bandage with your teeth when it’s urgently needed, then you must have a pair to use in such cases.
You’ll find one of these in all regular first aid kits, but you can also buy them separately, in case you lost them or if your kit doesn’t contain it for some reason.
Make sure that the scissors fit the bag so that you don’t have problems with safety control staff, who could take them away from you due to their size. Large scissors are considered a weapon in the laws of many countries, and we’re sure that you won’t want to have problems at borders or airports.
6. Antiseptic wipes
Admit that this would be the last thing on your mind. But in fact, no one should go without them. You should have at least one pack of these in each well-equipped package you make before traveling. Their role is crucial and in extreme situations, they can help prevent the spread of infection.
Be sure to clean the wound with antiseptic wipes if a cut or injury occurs. Blood easily turns into a good conductor of infection through the body if we don’t react smartly and responsibly. The wipes are sterile and if they get dirty in any way, you might always buy new ones at the pharmacy – never use the old ones.
7. Probiotic and painkillers
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Traveling to other countries often means getting used to different climatic conditions than the ones we’re already used to. Also, mostly we all like to try local flavors and specialties that sometimes might cause stomach problems and diarrhea to more sensitive organisms. Therefore it wouldn’t be bad to have a probiotic in the bag and prevent yourselves from spending many hours in the toilet instead of sightseeing. This medicine can also be taken preventively if we know our own sensitivity to changes in climate and diet.
Medications that you normally use to relieve pain must also be on this list. Whether it’s a headache, stomach ache, or some major pain, this can always be helpful.
8. Tweezers
Another item that you’ll see in all factory-made first aid kits is tweezers. In case you don’t have it in the original packaging, the one used for eyebrows will be a good replacement.
It plays the role of miniature grips with the help of which it’s possible to pull out everything that was accidentally found under the skin. Tweezers can be used to remove the glass, stones, thorns, or any other dirt to clean the injured area.
Try to provide everything you need for medical care when you go on a trip – just in case of an unforeseen situation. You can learn about responding to emergency situations from the CPR Training Facility in Toronto. Still, try to enjoy and not to think negatively. If you happen to forget something, you can always buy what you need at the local pharmacy in the destination, but it would be better to think twice in time to save yourself additional costs. You’ll thank yourselves later!
