The first aid kit (travel kit) is essential during the holiday break. Even the most dreamed trip can become a nightmare if you don't have a piece of plaster on hand, a stomach medicine or an effective remedy for bites. So, lest life surprise you - no matter what direction you go on vacation, do not forget about basic medications. They will take up little space and can do a lot of good. We advise what should be in the first aid kit for a trip and what medications to take on vacation - both when only adults go on vacation, and when you are going on a trip with a child.

First aid kit for a trip - a list of essentials

It is impossible to predict every situation that may happen during a holiday vacation - especially if you are going with your child. Nevertheless, the travel first aid kit (first aid kit) should be in the luggage of every vacationer. It should contain basic medications that you need to take on vacation and dressings. They will help with ailments that often happen on the road, especially in summer.

It is easy then for sunburn, food poisoning, motion sickness. Sometimes we have a sore throat, fever and swollen legs. If you act quickly (at the first symptoms), you can, for example, stop the development of an infection and you will not need to use other, more expensive preparations.

To your holiday first aid kit, pack:

  • medications taken on a daily basis (if you are chronically ill) and a copy of medical records
  • medication for relieving the symptoms of motion sickness
  • thermometer
  • antipyretic and analgesic drugs based on paracetamol and ibuprofen
  • cough soothing
  • remedies for runny nose (sea water spray, rhinitis pills, baby aspirator, etc.)
  • pills for sore throat
  • preparation for cleansing and disinfecting wounds
  • saline
  • plaster with dressing
  • preparation accelerating the healing of wounds
  • bandage
  • preparation for swelling and bruises
  • sterile gauze
  • small scissors
  • elastic bandage
  • gel cooling compress
  • drugs supporting the treatment of diarrhea
  • activated carbon
  • electrolytespreventing dehydration
  • high sunscreen cream
  • sunburn soothing
  • cooling gel
  • ointment that regenerates damaged epidermis with the addition of vitamin A or allantoin
  • insect repellent
  • gel after bite
  • tick removal device
  • forceps (tweezers)
  • allergy remedy.

Medication for travelers' diarrhea

Diarrheacan be caused by changes in climate, water, and food. In such situations, anti-diarrheal agents (powder to be dissolved in water) or activated charcoal tablets will help. The coal can be crushed and dissolved in water.

  • First aid:a person suffering from diarrhea has to drink a lot, preferably still mineral water. You can also serve slightly warm, weak and unsweet tea, chamomile or mint. The sick person should lie in a cool place. He will recover when he sleeps for a few hours.
  • Note:If you take charcoal, the effects of other drugs will be neutralized.

Treatment for bruises, sprains and sprains

These can happen while walking, falling, or doing sports. Usually these injuries are quite painful, but not serious. During a fall or impact, small vessels under the skin are injured.

  • First aid:in case of bruises, first apply a cold compress. A bruised hand or foot should be placed above the heart to reduce bleeding under the skin. After a day, we apply a warm, moist compress to expand the blood vessels, which promotes healing. Sprain is damage to the joint ligaments, which, as a result of an injury, become overstretched, torn or completely ruptured. It is accompanied by pain, swelling, and a bluish-red discoloration around the joint indicates an internal stroke. Apply a cold compress first or apply a compress. The leg must be placed on a pillow so that it is above the heart. Wrap the leg with an elastic bandage. A twisted ankle joint can also be immobilized in a special orthosis or a "sock" made of tight elastic fabric.
  • Note:if you suspect a bone fracture, limit the limb immobilization and take the patient to the hospital. Don't even try to adjust bones or joints yourself.

Remedies for sunburn

Staying in the bright sun for a long time may cause burns. If we go too far with sunbathing, you will get headache, nausea and chills, which are indicative of sunstroke.

  • First aid:place the injured person in a cool placeplace. In the event of a slight burn, we cover the skin, e.g. with a special foam. In case of greater injuries - with a cooling gel. When a head hurts, we apply a cold compress - also on the back of the neck. We serve a lot of liquids - cool, but without alcohol.
  • Note:Burned skin should be protected from the sun for several days. When the redness disappears, gently lubricate with moisturizing creams.

Preparations and medications for sore throats

Ice cream, cold drinks, drafts and baths. In summer we often have problems with the throat, we are also attacked by angina. Therefore, the first aid kit should contain throat remedies and an antipyretic drug. Influenza medications will help, improve your well-being, and soothe your cough.

  • First aid:when the throat starts to ache, it is best to rinse it with baking soda (a teaspoon per glass of water), which has a strong anti-swelling effect.
  • Note:If the pain is getting worse, you have difficulty swallowing and temperature, and you develop a white coating on your tonsils, see your doctor. It could be strep throat, and over-the-counter medications won't help much.

Medications for motion sickness

It can catch anyone, although sensitive people suffer from it even when traveling by car.

  • First aid:To avoid nausea, vomiting, take an anti-emetic such as synthetic, herbal or homeopathic medicine one hour before travel.
  • Note:It is best to eat a light meal and swallow the medicine one hour before the trip. If we give up eating, remember to drink a lot - preferably cool, non-carbonated mineral water.

Preparations for jellyfish burn

In our B altic Sea, the most common jellyfish are spherical jellyfish, and in the waters of Spain, Portugal and Italy, a Portuguese sailor appears. Jellyfish venom can cause burning pain, reddening of the skin, rash, muscle spasms, vomiting and even shortness of breath.

  • First aid:jellyfish leave the so-called burn tip - looks like a pink or purple thread. It needs to be removed with your fingers wrapped in cloth, a towel or tongs and buried in the sand. Separated from the jellyfish, the tip can still burn. The skin should be thoroughly wiped with salicylic alcohol or vinegar.
  • Note:Sensitive persons may experience shock. If nausea or vomiting becomes severe and you experience difficulty breathing, see a doctor.
If you need medical help

When calling an ambulance, please provide short, specific information. We need to speak calmly so that the rescuer can understand us well:

  • whathappened
  • how much time has passed since the event
  • what is the patient's condition
  • is she breathing
  • Is there a palpable pulse in the carotid artery
  • is he reanimated
  • what help has been provided so far

Remedies for insect bites

Mosquitoes, wasps and bees usually, apart from pain, do not cause much trouble. They should not be teased or walked barefoot on the grass, as wasps often nest in the ground. You can protect yourself against them by spraying the skin with insect repellent preparations. Brush the mosquito-bitten places with a gel to relieve itching.

  • First aid:when a wasp bites, there will be redness and a slight swelling. You can cool the sore spot with ice or smear it with onion juice. When a bee stings, you need to remove the sting. This is best done with the tip of a knife. Do not press the sting protruding from the skin, because we will introduce an additional portion of the venom. We put ice or, for example, a cold can or bottle on the affected area. When a tick is attached, remove it. This can be done, for example, by grabbing a special lasso that we can buy in pharmacies. Do not grease the tick with butter or gasoline. When he chokes, he vomits, injecting more venom. Disinfect the place left by the tick and watch for red swelling. If so, a visit to the doctor is necessary. The insect may have been infected.
  • Note:people allergic to Hymenoptera venom should be careful when eating outdoors (especially sweets and fruit), do not drink from a bottle or can. If they have been bitten by insects before, they must carry an anti-shock kit to prevent life-threatening anaphylactic shock. The best protection against the effects of contact with ticks is a vaccine.

Preparations for abrasions and cuts

They are a real torment for walkers. Most often they are done on the feet when we have uncomfortable shoes, artificial fiber socks. Abrasions and blisters may also appear on the hands (from carrying the suitcase), on the shoulders (from the backpack) or under the armpits (from tight clothing).

  • First aid:if the bubble is not large and has not been broken, just cover it with a band-aid. When the blisters on the soles are very large and filled with serous fluid, it is better to see a doctor. If this is not possible, drain the fluid from them. It can even be done with an ordinary needle, but carefully disinfected. Put a sterile gauze pad on the affected area, bandage the foot or stick a plaster. Wash skin abrasions and minor cuts with a cleansing and washing preparation that will reduce the riskinfection. Fishing may end badly when the hook is stuck in the finger. Then you need to make such a movement that the curved part pierces the skin and comes out. You have to cut it with tongs just above the skin. Then you can remove the rest of the hook. The wound should be washed with soap and water or disinfected with a preparation for cleansing and washing wounds, which will reduce the risk of infection. You can reach for a preparation containing, for example, polyhexanidine - a substance that supports the wound healing process and is not conducive to the development of microbial resistance. Finally, cover with a plaster or wrap with a bandage.
  • Note:The skin above the blisters must not be torn. Even such a banal wound can become the cause of infection. If the fishing hook gets stuck in the face or around the eye, cut the line and see a doctor. Let's not try to take it out ourselves.

Medicines and herbs for food poisoning

They happen often on vacation, because we store food incorrectly or eat just anywhere. Food poisoning is most often indicated by headache, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea and increased temperature.

  • First aid:depends on the type of poisoning. If your symptoms started after eating meat, cold cuts, or tinned meat, you've probably developed botulism. You can provoke vomiting, but take the victim to the hospital as soon as possible. This poisoning can end tragically. With salmonella poisoning (infected eggs, milk, cheese, raw meat, ice cream, cream cookies), symptoms appear after 6-24 hours. Take care of the patient's warmth and comfort. When vomiting subsides, drink mineral water without gas or infusions of mint, chamomile.
  • Note:if you suspect mushroom poisoning, call an ambulance. It will help to induce vomiting. Vomiting and diarrhea are dangerous for children and the elderly because they can dehydrate the body. You can check if this has happened by grabbing the skin with your fingers and pulling it upwards. When he stays in this position, he is dehydrated.

"Zdrowie" monthly

Category:

He alth