What to Have in Your Medicine Cabinet
Do You Know What You Should Always Have?
Adhesive Wraps & Bandages - Open cuts and scrapes can get infected from germs. Protect you and your children by covering their wounds with Band Aids or any such adhesive bandages or wraps. When you're shopping for these for your medicine cabinet, buy a box with various sizes in it. You never know how big or small a cut will be. Also, consider purchasing waterproof bandages so they don't fall off when taking a swim or showering.
Antiseptic - Warm soap and water cleans cuts and scrapes, but antiseptic washes and sprays like Hydrogen Peroxide cleans them too and helps prevent infections.
Antibiotic - Antibiotic creams and ointments such as Neosporin are used on cuts or rashes to kill bacteria. In doing so, antibiotics help promote healing.
Itch Medications: Always have an itch medication in your cabinet. I always keep 2 at all times: Hydrocortisone and Benadryl. Hydrocortisone creams, sprays, and ointments contain 1% hydrocortisone. This is a special anti inflammatory steroid that relieves itching skin. Benadryl isn't just for runny noses. Benadryl also contains Diphenhydramine, which is an antihistamine, meaning it treats allergic reactions. The diphenhydramine antihistamine relieves itching and irritation. If you're dealing with a small area, try Hydrocortisone first. However, if the area is large, open, or won't stop itching, go with Benadryl.
Furthermore, according to MedicineNet.com, Diphenhydramine is used for allergic reactions involving the eyes (allergic conjunctivitis), to prevent or treat active motion sickness, and for cases of insomnia.
Cotton Balls and Swabs - This is simple; you need cotton balls to clean and to apply antiseptics and other liquids and creams to affected areas. You don't want to use paper towels or flimsy paper products that will stick to the scrapes. Cotton balls and swabs will get the job done in a clean, healthy manner.
Thermometer - It's always a necessity to have a thermometer in your medicine cabinet for those warm foreheads. You have a way of checking fevers. Just a piece of advice, digital thermometers are easy to read and beep when they are ready to remove from under the tongue. If you really want to get fancy, you can get ear thermometers just like the doctors have.
Cold & Cough - There are four major cold medication ingredients. Cough and cold medications come with one, two, or all four of those ingredients. You'll get a nasal decongestant, anthistamine, cough suppressant, and / or expectorant. For an emergency medicine cabinet stock, I'd go with those medicines which have all four ingredients instead of buying four different kinds. Also, compare day versus nighttime medications - your boss wouldn't want you falling asleep at work.
Pepto Bismol - We've all heard the commercial ditty with people singing "nausea, heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, diarrhea." Pepto Bismol can relieve many symptoms that creep up on you.
Ibuprofen - Products containing Ibuprofen reduces inflammation, which reduces pain like from headaches. Ibuprofen is also used to treat arthritis, cramps, and aches.
Children's Motrin - This is a biggie for parents, so please listen up. Always have Motrin in your cabinet! If your kids have a fever or cold, give them Motrin and don't skimp on the amounts (follow directions and keep it safe!). Motrin is a proven fever reducer and pain reliever in families and in emergency rooms. It's not immediate, but keep giving it and use your thermometer to check for improvements every hour.
Having the above items in your medicine cabinet at all times is not all there is to it. You have to make sure the items have not expired; check the dates! Another key point is to keep the above medications in an appropriate temperature. Often the bathroom is NOT the right place. Last but not least, make double sure medications are out of reach of your children and pets.
So, go investigate your medicine cabinets and fill it with the listed medications that you should always have near.
Published by Mike C.
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