Travel first aid kits are a must when you are out with your loved ones.  Don’t forget to pack a variety of first aid items, putting first aid first on your list to ensure you have a safe and happy travel experience.  Some of the space in your luggage should be taken up with the basics of first aid, whether back packing or flying, you never know when you may need to put first aid first.

So, are the great outdoors beckoning you to the adventures they promise? But, before slinging on the backpack, make sure to take along a well-stocked first aid kit. Nothing can ruin a hiking, camping, or backpacking trip as being unprepared if you happen to get injured, ill, or if some emergency situation should crop up. If you are setting out for some area that is new to you, it is a good idea to find out about the region to check out what the kinds of insects, poisonous plants, and reptiles that you are likely to come across, and take along first aid supplies accordingly.

Even if you travel to an urban location in the US, you may not want to hunt for a 24-hour pharmacy in an unfamiliar city, if you should require it. And, even when traveling to a location that you are familiar with, taking along a first aid kit can prevent discomfort and inconvenience if you should require first aid medications while on the road. If you should travel to another country, make sure to get information about the extent and quality of health care facilities available there, and it never hurts to take along your first aid kit.

While there are first aid kits that are available in the market these days, and most of them are well stocked, it is best to tailor your kit according to the activity, the distance or the length of time you will be away from access to medical care, as well as the number of people going on the trip. For example, while a small kit containing a few basic items will suffice for a hike lasting a day, you will need a better stocked and larger kit if you should go out camping with family or friends or on a long-distance hike.

Here are some of the essentials you will need to include in your travel first aid kit:

• A first aid manual
• Sunscreen – with SPF 30, preferably
• Sterile gauze pads – of various sizes
• Adhesive bandages – of various sizes
• Adhesive tape
• Aspirin – to counter mild pain
• Ibuprofen – a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic medication
• Antacid – in case of indigestion
• Antihistamine cream – to treat allergies
• Antidiarrheal medication – for example, Pepto-Bismol or Imodium
• Antiseptic agent – a small bottle of liquid antiseptic soap, to clean hands and wounds
• Antibiotic cream – to treat minor wounds and cuts
• Oral antihistamine – loratadine or diphenhydramine, for treating motion sickness and allergies of the nasal passage
• Dental kit – if teeth should break, or in case of loss of filling or crown
• Cough medication
• Flashlight
• Needles and tweezers – to remove splinters
• Sunburn spray or cream
• Eye washing solution
• Safety pins – small and large
• Knife – Swiss Army type
• Scissors
• Gloves
• Thermometer
• Lip emollient
• Insect repellant
• Moleskin – for blisters
• Mild sedative
• Water purification tablets
• High-altitude sickness medication
• Packets of oral rehydration solution
• Matches or Cigarette lighter – useful for sterilizing instruments as well as to get a fire going out in the wilderness, not only to keep warm, but also to make smoke in order to signal for help if in trouble.
• Cell phone – along with a list of people to call in an emergency
• Phone card – with at least 60 minutes of time, along with a few coins for a pay phone

Make sure to include your personal medications, taking enough with you to last the entire trip, and a little surplus. Also, check with your doctor about any medications that you may not be familiar with, along with their dosages.

By Rita Putatunda

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