Have you ever considered what supplies you need to have for a well-stocked medicine cabinet? In the age of Covid, one item has become a necessity for every family, and it is readily available without a prescription.
Like most, you likely own a collection of first aid items, over-the-counter (OTC) medications, and even old prescriptions. And maybe current prescriptions too. I have vivid memories of my grandmother’s medicine cabinet. Her bathroom closet held linens and towels, but the lower shelves and drawers were stuffed with exotic-smelling things she used to treat aches and pains, the most potent being Vick’s salve. To this day, that unique olfactory mix of clean towels, pine, Pepto-Bismol, Epsom salts, and other medicinal scents reminds me of her.
My medicine cabinet isn’t a cabinet over the sink–-it’s a closet like Grandma’s with a small pharmacy inside. I don’t keep daily prescriptions in the bathroom. Because of high humidity, the bathroom or kitchen is the wrong place to store prescription medications. Use a designated drawer elsewhere. Any other room will work as well, so long as children can’t access the medications. As the bottle says, “Store in a cool, dry place.”
Essentials for a modern medicine cabinet:
- Thermometer—Ear thermometers are great for screening for a fever, and easier to use with a crying child. Either an alcohol-in-glass thermometer or a digital thermometer will give an accurate temperature if used correctly. Hint: Keep an extra battery on hand for the digital thermometer.
- Aspirin—A baby aspirin should be given to anyone having symptoms of a heart attack, unless they are allergic to aspirin. Keep it on hand because you never know if a guest or family member may need it.
- Acetaminophen and ibuprofen—for fevers and mild pain relief.
- Band-aids—a variety of different-sizes.
- “Superglue” band-aid—to stop bleeding on superficial small cuts that don’t need sutures or butterfly bandages. If the cut won’t stop bleeding, or you can see tendons or other deep tissues, seek urgent care and avoid superglue. NEVER use superglue around the eyes!
- Spot oximeter—If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma, you’re familiar with this device. In the age of Covid, this small piece of equipment is a must. Readily available without a prescription, an oximeter runs about $20-40. The device clips on over a fingertip and measures the oxygen concentration in your blood. It’s great to have on hand for any severe respiratory infection or influenza. A normal reading is 95% or higher—if you have underlying lung disease, your doctor may give you other instructions as to when to call or seek urgent care. Lung disease may give you a chronically lower oxygen level. (Covid can cause astonishing drops in blood oxygen concentration that don’t match your symptoms, so being able to check your oxygen level is a bonus to determine if you need to go to the hospital. It could save a life.)
- Antibacterial ointment or spray—such as Bacitracin or Neosporin or generic ones.
- Topical itch spray—for bites, rashes, and sunburn.
- Bandage materials:
A roll of clean white gauze, two inches, at least two inches wide or more.
Bandage tape-–my favorite is cloth tape, period. It’s more expensive but worth the cost because it holds well and peels off easier than other types. The plastic kind never stays on, adhesive tape peels off your skin about as well as duct tape, and paper tape works but doesn’t stay on long, especially if you sweat.
4×4’s–-four-inch gauze squares that are great for larger areas. 2×2’s are nice for smaller abrasions and burns.
Non-stick squares (brand name Telfa) now come with adhesive edges which are handy for burns or for thin skin that tears easily.
Coban wrap is also called self-adherent elasticized wrap. This will secure nearly any bandage type and is easy to use. Just don’t wrap an extremity too tightly regardless of what you use.
Elastic wrap (or ACE wrap) is food for simple strains or to hold bandages or splints in place. Don’t wrap it too tight.
Butterfly bandages are good for minor, superficial lacerations. If the wound won’t stop bleeding, get it checked out. I once had a patient who used regular heavy sewing thread on a sizable arm laceration at home. She came in with a nice infection. Don’t sew up your own lacerations!
- Elastic ankle brace–-not essential, but handy if someone has frequent sprains or is an athlete.
- Arm splint—a cloth splint with a strap that goes around your neck to support a broken or badly injured arm or shoulder. While it’s something you hope you never need, it’s cheap enough to keep on hand. Much easier than trying to improvise one on the fly, unless you were once a Scout.
- Tweezers and a small magnifying glass for splinter removal. NEVER try to remove a splinter in or around your eye. That should always be done by a physician.
- Plain saline nasal spray for stuffy noses.
- Plain saline eye drops for rinsing out dust or an eyelash from your eye.
- ICE—either an old-style ice bag with a screw-on lid or the shake-and-break kind (more expensive, but portable and doesn’t last long as long.) Or gel packs you can freeze and store in your freezer. If you suffer from migraines, you are already well acquainted with these.
- Prescription medicines—should be stored in a place with low humidity, out of the reach of children, and separate from your medicine chest to avoid confusion.
- Heat packs—for sore backs and muscle strains but be sure to not burn yourself. Some heat patches will stick on and travel with you.
- First aid treatment list can be found online or a laminated cards can be purchased at a pharmacy or online. Free resources are available from the Red Cross at www.redcross.org
- Benadryl tablets or liquid (generic: diphenhydramine) is used o treat allergic reactions. Benadryl cream can be used for mild itchy rashes.
- Zanfel—If applied quickly enough, this gel can stop the rash from poison ivy and poison oak. It keeps the plant chemical from getting into your skin and starting the rash. Calamine lotion can be used for the itching and rash if it’s too late to use Zanfel.
- Epipen—if anyone in the family has a history of anaphylaxis. A doctor must prescribe this.
- Written list of emergency numbers—even if they are stored in your phone. Keep numbers for the police, fire department, your doctor, and the nearest emergency room in a handy place.
- Blood pressure cuff—if you have high blood pressure, talk to your doctor about getting and using one of these at home.
- Otoscope—over-the-counter scopes allow you to look at an eardrum or ear canal. Handy if you get wax buildup and need to confirm your ear canal is blocked. Parents can use these to screen their child for an ear infection–-check with your doctor or pediatrician first on what procedure they want you to follow. Never use anything in your ear to scrape something out–- trained healthcare personnel should only do this. You can puncture your eardrum.
- OTC yeast treatment—if you are prone to candida vaginal yeast infections, it’s a good idea to keep a preferred treatment on hand to avoid a trip out to the pharmacy in the middle of the night.
- Diabetic supplies if anyone is a diabetic. Keep fully stocked on supplies to test blood sugar levels. See “Living with Diabetes: How to Thrive, Not Just Survive.”
If you keep all these things on hand, especially an oximeter to measure blood oxygen levels, you will always be prepared for any emergency with your well-stocked medicine cabinet.
About the Author
Ronda Wells M.D. has been a physician for forty years and is board-certified in Family Practice. An award-winning author, her first novel, Harvest of Hope, is currently with a publisher. She loves to help other Christian authors with medical scenes and writes on medical topics in her “Novel Malpractice” column for Killer Nashville Magazine. She also blogs on her website, Med School for Writers. You can find her at www.rondawellsbooks.com
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