Not only having fun and relaxing on vacation, but also staying healthy is probably one of the most important goals for all travelers. A well-stocked first-aid kit is therefore essential: it provides relief for minor accidents or illnesses as well as first aid in an emergency. But what exactly belongs in the medical kit?
Don’t forget special medication
Before we get to the important medicines and preparations that no first-aid kit should be without, we briefly discuss your individual needs. From a certain age, many people suffer from one or more illnesses that require permanent treatment. Children may also already have chronic illnesses or experience other conditions — such as asthma — that need to be combated.
Therefore, when on vacation, never forget your special medication in your first-aid kit! You can also buy Aspirin & Co. from a local pharmacy in an emergency. However, it’s not so easy to get prescription medication — and sometimes it’s also difficult to communicate if you’re traveling to a country whose language you only have a rudimentary command of. Stock up on a sufficient dose of the appropriate medication for your vacation from your doctor.
Tip: You can also have the necessity of these preparations for your well-being certified. This will save you any complications at customs, which may react curiously to particularly exotic, rare medicines.
The usual suspects
Some medicines and other items in the first-aid kit should always be taken with you. These include typical painkillers such as aspirin, ibuprofen, paracetamol and similar preparations. Plasters are also never a bad idea, as a vacation usually involves a lot of physical activity. Also pack some medicines that can save the day — medication for stomach ache, nausea or diarrhea, for example. Problems with the intestines are rarely dangerous, but can quickly spoil your vacation. Also important: disinfectant for wounds and a clinical thermometer also belong in the first-aid kit.
Don’t forget: If you are traveling with children, you should make sure to take medication that can also be divided into child-friendly dosages. Especially in small children, the side effects are otherwise often worse than the pain itself. Ask your doctor which dosages are most suitable for children.
Where is the journey going?
It is also particularly important to determine your vacation destination in good time before putting together your first-aid kit. For example, you won’t have to worry about malaria treatment on a vacation in the mountains of Austria — which may well be the case on a trip to South America or parts of Africa and Asia. In particularly hot areas of the world, you must also consider sunscreen as a prophylactic against sunburn. It may not belong directly in the bag with the medication, but it is still a great help for your well-being.
Not sure which diseases are causing havoc locally? Ask your doctor to compile a list of medicines for your first-aid kit. These recommendations often include medicines that we would never think of in a place like Germany, which is actually spared from serious illnesses. If your family doctor is unable to help, you can often get help from larger clinics or travel agencies, which are also prepared for such cases.
Caution with liquid medication!
When traveling by air, the regulations stipulate that you may not transport liquids of more than 100 ml in your hand luggage. This is not a major problem, as the cargo hold offers enough space. However, it gets very cold there during the flight and there is also a drop in pressure. Some medicines must not freeze, otherwise they lose their effect. Syringes can also burst due to the pressure difference. Contact the airline before you travel and discuss ways and means of transporting your medication in your first-aid kit without rendering it ineffective or even destroying it.
Have a good trip!
If you have followed the instructions in this article, you already have one foot in a healthy, relaxing vacation. One last tip: don’t dare experiment. It is best to use medication that you are already familiar with and that you are guaranteed to tolerate. Otherwise, you may have a suitable medication with you for sudden nausea, but it may also cause serious side effects.