First Aid Kit Must-haves for Your Travels

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Whenever you go traveling, you need to make sure that you're going to be safe. Even if you're going to a safe country, where you don't need to worry about disease or dangerous animals, you should still think about how to stay healthy. You might only be walking around a safe city, but you could still fall over or get sunburn. There are lots of useful things you could pack into a first aid kit, but you don't need to take too much with you. Even if you only want to take a small bag, you can fit a range of handy medications and supplies in it. You can start off by buying a ready-made first aid kit, but you might need to add some of the following things.

Supplies for Treating Injuries

There are lots of ways you can hurt yourself when you're traveling, from sunburn to cuts, bruises and even sprains. Having a few basic supplies makes it easy to take care of simple things without having to search for someone to help you. For example, antiseptic wipes and band-aids will help you clean out a cut and keep it clean. A couple of different types of bandages can help with bigger wounds or perhaps with strains to joints or muscles. Remember to also pack a pair of small scissors so that you can cut things to size.

Preventative Medications

There are some important medications you might need to take to stop yourself getting sick. In some places, you might need to get a prescription for Malarone malaria tablets so you can reduce the risk of getting malaria. Destinations where there might be a risk include a number of countries, including some in South America, Asia and Africa. Another preventative medication you could need in some places is altitude sickness tablets. If you're planning to climb any mountains, they can help to prevent the symptoms of altitude sickness by making it easier for your body to absorb oxygen. Don't forget to take any usual medications you take too, such as asthma inhalers. Also, remember that anything that protects you from the sun (or the cold) will help to prevent illness and injury too.

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Painkillers

A headache might not be the end of the world, but it can put a damper on your travels. If you want to treat aches and pains, it's always useful to have painkillers on you. While you can pick them up in a pharmacy when you get to your destination, it's easier to have them on you. Plus, you might be going somewhere more remote. Blister packs will keep each pill separate so that they're less affected by moisture. Be careful in some Arab countries, as any painkillers containing codeine could get you in trouble with the law.

Digestive Medications

All kinds of things can go wrong with your digestion, especially when you're traveling and eating unfamiliar foods. Whether you're feeling nervous or you've eaten something you shouldn't have, some handy medications to treat your tummy can help you feel better. Medicines for diarrhea and constipation are useful, as are medicines for heartburn and indigestion. It's also a good idea to have something to help replace electrolytes if you lose fluids through vomiting or diarrhea.

Practising Safe Personal Intimacy

Traveling can mean meeting new people or perhaps traveling with your partner. Even if you're not expecting to have intimacy with anyone on your travels, it pays to be cautious. You should take whatever precautions you do at home, from continuing the use of birth control medications to using condoms. It's often a good idea to buy condoms at home so that you know they're good quality. Condoms are the best way to prevent both pregnancy and STD, so make sure you pack some.

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Water Purification Tablets

In many places around the world, the water in homes and other buildings is perfectly safe to drink. However, there are some places where you need to exercise more caution. You might decide to stick to drinking purchased bottled water. However, it's also useful to have a water purification system or tablets with you. These can also be used if you're camping or out in the wilderness and need to purify fresh water before drinking it. You can find them in pharmacies as well as outdoor stores. You can use iodine tablets, special filter devices, or chlorine tablets.

Taking your own first aid kit on your travels helps you to be more self-sufficient. You can take care of a range of problems on your own and help others too.