How To Prepare A Tourist First Aid Kit
The tourist’s first aid kit can be individually tailored to the specific needs of the traveler. When preparing a package for yourself or your family, keep in mind where you are traveling, what means of transport you use, what the age and general health of the passengers is, what risks may occur during the trip, etc. The length of the trip should also be considered.
The contents of a first aid kit are not one and the same when we travel to the countryside, a tropical country or a big city. So tailor the first aid kit to your destination and the personal needs of you and your family. In this article, we will provide tips for preparing a first aid kit.
Tourist first aid kit: what to consider
In general, the most common problems you encounter while traveling are:
- Travel sickness
- Insect or plant injections followed by urticaria or other skin reactions
- Indigestion
- Minor accidents and injuries such as wounds, bruises, etc.
First, keep in mind these most common health problems that occur along the way, and build the foundation for a first aid kit with them in mind. Next, we separate them in more detail, and tell you what to remember in each case.
Travel sickness
Travel sickness can occur in any means of transport, depending on the person. In some people, symptoms worsen when traveling in an airplane due to anxiety or tension associated with flying. The most common symptoms are nausea, vomiting, hyperventilation, sweating and dizziness, and a feeling of fainting.
So be sure to include medicines to prevent nausea and dizziness, such as dimenhydrinate or meclozine, in the first aid kit. If you already know for sure that you will suffer from motion sickness, you should take the medicine to prevent it shortly before you travel.
One dose of meclozine has a long-term effect, so it is very suitable for long trips. Dimenhydrinate may require multiple doses during travel, depending on the duration of the trip. It is not suitable for children under 2 years old.
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, or have a small child, ask your doctor or pharmacist what to recommend. Ginger capsules or chewing gum can be a good option as long as you make sure they are right for the situation.
Insect and plant injections and hives
Insect bites or skin reactions caused by contact with plants are possible on both domestic and foreign trips, and especially in tropical countries, they should be avoided. Depending on the intensity of the injection, the number of injections, and personal sensitivity, they can cause mild or severe allergic symptoms and itchy skin infections.
Preventing them is the best option, meaning it is best to wear clothing that covers the arms and legs, and use mosquito nets and poisons as well as insect repellents. The tourist’s first aid kit therefore contains an insecticide that can be applied to the skin or a “poison jewel” that can be put on the wrist.
For the treatment of injections, the first aid kit should include, for example, hydrocortisone or an antihistamine cream. Herbal treatments and essential oils are also very helpful.
Indigestion and stomach upset
Because our eating habits change when we are traveling, it is normal to suffer from stomach cramps. Examples of these are air in the gut, bloating, heartburn, abdominal cramps and reflux. Constipation and diarrhea are also common.
The tourist’s first aid kit must therefore contain, for example, antacids and lactic acid bacteria to relieve swelling, heartburn and flatulence. You can also choose natural medicines. There are many different products available based on different medicinal plants or combinations thereof, such as papaya, artichoke, St. John’s wort, fennel, anise or rhubarb. If you suffer from flatulence, use a medicine containing simethicone or plants with carminative effects, such as anise, cumin or fennel, to treat them.
Be prepared for diarrhea and constipation
In case of diarrhea, make sure that the first aid kit contains a medicine containing loperamide, which can be taken temporarily for acute diarrhea. It usually puts an end to diarrhea and abdominal cramps very quickly. Also include sachets containing mineral salts and intestinal gel to help hydrate the body. Drinking fluids is therefore a priority when suffering from diarrhea, and make sure that there is a suitable ratio of salt and sugar in the fluid.
The tourist’s first aid kit should also contain probiotics that you can take to restore the bacterial population in your gut when the most acute diarrhea is over.
If, on the other hand, you suffer from constipation, pack laxatives such as a medicine containing macrogol or sodium picosulfate, or natural products such as flaxseed or herbal tablets.
Treatment and prevention of wounds and injuries
A traveler’s first aid kit is not carefully designed if it lacks material for the prevention and treatment of minor injuries and skin symptoms. So be sure to include material to treat small wounds, blisters, burns, sprains, or sprains. We recommend adding at least the following accessories:
- Saline for cleansing wounds and blisters.
- Disinfectants in the form of a solution or disposable wipes.
- Bandages such as gauze, bandages, bandages, patches of various sizes, butterfly patches, wound closure tape, etc.
- Topical NSAIDs, such as creams or ointments, for minor burns and sprains.
- Sunscreen.
- Cold gel pack.
- Disinfectant or gel for disinfecting hands and surfaces.
- Everyday problems such as sore throat, fever, muscle aches or headaches can occur at any time. Therefore, first aid kits should also include painkillers such as paracetamol.
The first aid kit is an important travel companion for the traveler
If you prepare your first aid kit well and tailor it carefully to your destination, you can avoid many of the complications that can ruin your vacation. If you are not sure what to bring, start with this list and ask your pharmacist or doctor to help you choose other supplies.
Also, keep in mind that there can always be bigger accidents on the way, ones that no one is prepared for. For such cases, travel insurance is an absolute security that must not be forgotten to arrange before you travel. You can also find out in advance where the health centers and hospitals of the destination are located in case of an emergency.
