5 Health Items to Always Have on Hand
There are some medical problems that require immediate professional care. However, many conditions, whether they are illnesses or injuries, can be temporarily alleviated at home. By keeping a small inventory of supplies, you’ll be able to handle most health issues at home. The following products can help you treat a condition until you can see your doctor.
A Supply of Medications
One of the first things you should do is to put all of your medications together in one container. A tray or a plastic food container may be large enough to hold multiple medication bottles, which will ensure you won’t have to go hunting when you need a specific medication. You should keep ibuprofen, epi-pens, vitamins, CBD softgels 900mg, and leftover prescription medications together in this way. When you need to relieve muscle pain, treat a headache, or lower your blood sugar, you’ll know right where those particular drugs are stored.
Keep Bandages Readily Available
You should also keep a broad range of bandages in the home to help you treat injuries in a hurry. In addition to disposable bandages in a variety of shapes and sizes, it will also be wise to buy some cloth bandages. Be sure to keep gauze and rubbing alcohol on hand as well. For larger abrasions, cuts, or suspected fractures, be sure to disinfect the wound with rubbing alcohol before wrapping the wound with gauze and a bandage of appropriate size. Even when dealing with a very serious injury, having bandages on hand can help you slow the bleeding until the injured individual can be taken to the hospital.
Invest in Some Diagnostic Tools
There are plenty of diagnostic tools that anyone can buy at their neighborhood pharmacy, and you should keep these healthcare items at home for added convenience. The most obvious among these tools is a thermometer. Try to choose an ear or oral thermometer over one that takes the temperature of the skin to ensure you’re getting the most accurate internal readings. Additionally, a device that tests blood sugar should also be kept in the home. Even if no one in your home has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, keeping an eye on blood sugar levels will help your family avoid raising their risks for the disease. Additionally, keeping a stethoscope at home can help you monitor your heart rate when necessary.
Be Prepared For Burns
There are many types of burns that range from mild first-degree burns, similar to a light sunburn, to more severe third-degree burns. For that reason, it’s helpful to keep a broad range of supplies available to help you treat these conditions. For mild burns, an ice pack and a disinfectant gel may be enough to help the burn heal. While more severe burns will require professional medical treatment, there are things you can do to treat the skin immediately after the exposure. Keeping some type of burn gel available can help. Clean cloths or bandages should also be used to lightly wrap the burned skin. When using a medicated ointment or gel to treat a burn, be sure to follow the instructions precisely.
Keep a Supply of Personal Hygiene Products
Finally, keeping up with personal hygiene will help you avoid a long laundry list of health problems. Among the basics, be sure to keep tweezers, nail clippers, surgical scissors, and cotton swabs in the home. Birth control options may be kept on hand, and women should keep anti-fungal treatments, menstrual pain treatments, and pregnancy test kits on hand. Oral care products are also important to keep on hand. It can be helpful to keep extra packages of toothbrushes handy in addition to toothpaste, fluoride mouthwash, and dental floss. A water pick is a good option to consider since it can clean more areas of the mouth that regular floss just can’t reach. More supplies to consider include a penlight or small flashlight, a timer, fabric tape measure, and a measuring scale. Add anything else that you think will be useful in an emergency.
There are many more things you can keep in a medical care closet in your home. If someone in your family suffers from a specific condition, it can help to keep their medications together with this inventory of items. By placing everything together in one place, you’ll know exactly where to find something you need in an emergency.