First Aid Box

Administering the right first aid to a victim can make all the difference in the world. Not only can it assure a speedy recovery, but at times it can make a life-threatening situation more manageable. Having a well-equipped first-aid box at home is very important, especially when you have kids and pets in the house. In an emergency, it is the contents of this box that will come to your aid while you suffer through a long drive to the hospital or wait for the ambulance to come to your front door.

Your first-aid box must have the ultimate solution for common ailments. Whether you have a headache, an allergic reaction, a broken toenail or have suffered a few burns, it is these items in your first aid box that will provide instant relief. However, don’t just stock it and forget about it. You must remember to clean and re-stock your medicines and creams time and again. Do look at the expiry dates and throw out items that have lived their life. In an emergency, nothing can be worse than having an expired medicine or tube of gel in your first aid box.

So find out the top 10 things that must be included in your home first aid box.

1. Adhesive Bandages

It is never a good idea to leave cuts and scrapes uncovered. So go ahead and buy a few adhesive bandages since they come in all colours, sizes and shapes. You might want to pick the larger ones for bigger cuts, and smaller ones for shaving cuts and smaller scrapes. Also, find colourful ones that your kid will want to wear proudly instead of ripping off. Also, talk to your vet if you have pets and get bandages meant for dogs or cats (whatever the case may be).

2. Antiseptic Creams And Lotions

Before you put on that bandage, you will need to thoroughly clean a wound. While soap and water work fine, it is advisable to use a good antiseptic lotion to thoroughly rinse out any debris or particles in the wound that could infect it. Also, if the wound is large and could get pus formation, you will need to use an antiseptic regularly while you dress up the wound. So buy Dettol or Savlon to kill all germs and bacteria that can thrive in an open wound.

3. Muscle Creams And Sprays

Having a sprain or a backache is one of the most common ailments people complain of, second only to headaches. To ensure that your aching muscles get instant relief, do stock up on muscle creams and gels. A spray is a more effective option, especially when you want to couple it with a heating pad. However, you should use them in moderation as the ingredients do get absorbed directly in to your bloodstream through the skin.

4. A Pair Of Tweezers

A fine-tipped pair of tweezers can come in handy in so many ways. Remove foreign objects lodged in the skin like splinters. Or easily remove your dog’s ticks using them. Make sure you sterilise the tweezers by cleaning them with an antiseptic lotion.

5. Sterile Gauze And Tape

For bigger injuries, especially those that are bleeding profusely, you will need sterile gauze and medical tape to create a larger bandage. Where a band-aid seems to be too small to cover the wound, use these two. Create padding with sterile gauze, apply a little antiseptic cream, and cover the wound. Then secure in place with the tape. These also work especially well on kids and pets since they cannot remove this as easily.

6. Pain Relievers

What’s more common than a headache or backache? Having a few pain relievers like Crocin and Combiflam in your first-aid box is a must. Even if the pain is persistent and needs to be checked by a doctor, you can still pop a painkiller to help you bear with the trip down to the clinic and the long wait before you get the turn to meet with your doctor. If you have kids, keep some mild pain relievers at hand. And if you have pets, make sure you talk to your vet about the best painkiller for dogs and cats. Remember, while most human medicines work on dogs, some of them can be poisonous to their system.

7. Antihistamines

With all the changing weather and increased pollution, which household doesn’t have people who develop allergic reactions easily? From sneezing to breaking out in a rash, antihistamine will take care of all allergies. While sinus and dust allergies might not need medical attention, a food allergy might need a trip to the doctor. In any case, the allergy medication will provide a little relief while you rush the patient to the emergency.

8. Fungal Medicines

If you live in a hot, humid climate for any part of the year, you’ll be well aware of the risk of fungal infections. These infections can erupt anytime, anywhere. From your genitals to your feet, your face and hands, these fungal infections can be itchy and embarrassing. So make sure you have an anti-fungal cream at home to provide relief from the persistent itch. You can get these in the form of gels, creams, powders and even pills.

9. Nail Clippers

Yes, these also find themselves on the list of top 10 things to keep in a first-aid box. You may think that cutting your nails and shaping them can pose no emergency, but what about a painful ingrown toenail? And not to mention painful hangnails that can actually get infected if chewed on or ripped out. So make sure you have nail clippers in your first-aid box to clip nails and hangnails and keep the nails clean. You might not realise this but dirty nails are the biggest cause for fungal infections, bacterial growths and warts.

10. Thermometer And Fever Medication

Any first-aid box is incomplete without a good thermometer. And make sure you buy the right kind. No longer do doctors recommend a mercury thermometer. Get yourself a digital thermometer, and if you have kids and pets, we recommend you get an ear-canal thermometer. Fevers are common, so do keep Crocin or basic paracetamol to ensure that you can regulate normal body temperature while your doctor diagnoses the cause. He may further recommend antibiotics or other medication, but popping an antipyretic will help you while you wait for the diagnosis.

So, here are the top 10 things to keep stocked in your first-aid box. Go ahead and pick a good-sized box to create your very own first-aid kit or buy a ready made one and start storing away these things for uncalled emergencies.