What Should a First Aid Box Contain Without Fail?
Last Updated on December 5, 2024
First Aid Box Overview in Detail
An accident, however minor it may be, is always uncalled for. But much like everything else in life, it strikes without sounding any prior warning bells, when one least expects it to, and when one is the least prepared. Wherever you are, if you meet with an accident, having a first aid box makes all the difference. Whether you are at home, travelling somewhere or in your office, you must make sure that there is a basic first aid kit readily available for you to use if the need arises. When an accident victim is lying helpless in front of you and you do not have even the simplest of gauzes to help stop the bleeding, waiting for the paramedics can turn out to be lethally long.
It is, thus, best to arrange for and buy a first aid kit online or from a local drug store beforehand. These days, exclusive baby first aid kits, with colourful medical paraphernalia, are available for purchase too just for you to ensure that your little one is safe and readily wears appendages such as bandages, without removing them off.
List of First Aid Box Things Which You Should Put in Your Box
Here are a few indispensable things which your first aid kit must have:-
#1) Burn Dressing & Burn Gel
Any burn cannot be tended to using regular creams. Proper care must be taken that only burn gels are used to give temporary relief to the patient. Moreover, your first aid kit should have dressings exclusively to treat burns. One key thing to remember is that applying ice to the burn wound can only do more harm than good. Keeping the burn under cool running water instead is a good first aid practice.
#2) Adhesive Bandages
Leaving a cut uncovered is not the right thing to do. An uncovered cut, if not treated in time, can become the breeding ground for germs and bacteria. Also, the debris or particles that might have pierced through the skin can further aggravate the infection.
Covering the cuts with adhesive bandages can save the day! You may choose the size of the adhesive bandage relative to the size of the cut. For a minor cut, a small adhesive bandage would suffice; for a bigger cut, however, nothing less than a larger bandage would serve the purpose properly.
#3) Antiseptic Lotions
Do remember to indulge in some preliminary disinfection of the wound prior to securing it within that adhesive bandage or else the whole purpose of using a bandage—to prevent the chances of incubating and breeding an infection—would be futile.
The use of an antiseptic lotion and cream makes sure that the cut is free of all germs which otherwise might have bred and led to infectious conditions such as pus formation.
#4) Muscle Creams & Muscle Sprays
A muscle pull can happen anytime and anywhere! A slight jerk in the neck can cramp it to an unbearably bad extent; a slight tilt in the ankle can lead to a painful ankle twist and a bend of the back can stiffen it, rendering you immobile and wailing in pain. Having a muscle relaxant cream in your first aid kit can help alleviate your pain. Muscle sprays are even more effective and provide faster relief than do creams.
#5) Tweezers
A pair of tweezers can be your savior when you have a splinter, debris, or a foreign object stuck inside your wound. The fine and slender tip of a tweezer can reach out even the most fragile areas of the skin, removing the unwanted particle very easily. However, care must be taken that the pair of tweezers used is sterile and not used elsewhere.
#6) Sterile Gauze
For wounds that are very deep, regular adhesive bandage does not suffice. A wound that is bleeding incessantly, for instance, can only be dealt with by making use of sterile gauze and tape–a padded and thick layer of sterile gauze can be placed on the opening of the wound followed by tightly wrapping tape on top of it, in order to contain the bleeding.
#7) Analgesic Drugs
A headache may not be as life-threatening as other medical conditions, but is sure does merit timely treatment. A headache that lasts more than a couple of hours can become unnervingly vexing.
To top that, people who suffer from cervical spondylosis or migraine can experience excruciating pain because of their headaches. An analgesic can be a boon to people who have to deal with headaches of such severity.
#8) Instant Cold Pack
An injury, many a time, can cause the skin tissues to swell. A cold pack is ideal for pacifying such as swellings and inflammations. Modern cold packs become cold instantly and without requiring any prior refrigeration by simply opening the seal of the pack. Thus, they make for ideal packs for first aid kits, especially when refrigeration is not possible or may take too much time.
#9) Antihistamine Medications
Allergies do not need a reason to trigger, at least not an identifiable one. Thus it is best to make room for all the necessary anti-allergic medication in your first-aid box.
#10) Nail Trimmers & Fungal Medicines
There is hardly anyone who has never had a hangnail. It may not be life-threatening but can lead to infections and pus formations many times. A nail cutter can help get rid of one. An ingrown nail that usually results from wearing tight footwear can also be clipped using a nail clipper to prevent the condition from becoming painful.
Many people living in tropical countries are very prone to having fungal infections that can occur and breed anywhere on the skin—from the face and the feet to even the genitalia. Fungal creams must mandatorily be there in any first aid kit.
#11) Thermometers & Fever Medication
A basic thermometer and antipyretic medication are a must-have for any first aid box. Not every fever mandates that the doctor be paid a visit. Most fevers can be taken care of by just using an antipyretic drug or taking it continuously for a period of a few days. However, if the body temperature is higher than usual, a thermometer could be used to know the exact temperature and take necessary action.
#12) First Aid Kit Manual
Every first aid box comes enclosed with a manual. A manual can help you with your way about where each one of the things is arranged inside the box and also give you general and the most elementary first-aid instructions for common conditions and accidents.
Final Words About Aid Box Things
Last but not the least, as you wait for the ambulance to arrive what can save the injured person whether it is you or someone else is staying calm. Panicking can neither alleviate any pain nor help in any manner; staying composed or, at least, trying to do so can help the patient stay alive till help reaches.
