Medical supplies to stock up on

Everyone should have a basic first aid kit at the ready. Do you know what Medical supplies to stock up on? First aid is a vital skill to know in any disaster scenario. Depending on the scenario, knowing first aid may simply not be enough to get by. Some emergencies may also warrant stocking up on enough first aid supplies to get through the disaster as well. Most people who take an interest in disaster preparedness make plans to store enough food with access to enough clean water to get them through whatever situation they wish to prepare for.

With an active the power grid items you wish to stock up on maybe in short supply or even gone depending on the circumstances. If the grid ever goes down for an extended period of time you stand no chance of purchasing whatever medical supplies you are missing. The last place you want to be is in a situation where you need to treat a family member’s injury or illness and are lacking the medical supplies to do so.

Disasters bring us three things: disease, injury and or death. You may not have the skill set or equipment to treat every injury or element Under the Sun, but if you are adequately stocked up on medical supplies, with a little knowledge the following list of items should satisfy a broad and basic level of medical preparedness.

1. Antibiotics

Stepping on a rusty nail under normal circumstances is never life threatening. We go to the doctors if need be. In case of infection we treat with an antibiotic. Under circumstances when traveling to the doctors is not an option something as small as a wound from a nail can turn into something far more worrisome if unchecked. Bacterial infections can lead to death. Eventually in your lifetime your body is going to need something a little stronger than a clean bandage.

Always remember, antibiotics do not work on viruses.  Antibiotics are not a cure-all for every illness. Cold and flu, cough or bronchitis, even mild sore throats – these are illnesses caused by viruses. Taking an antibiotic for an illness is not only useless but also harmful. It lowers your body’s natural immune system, and makes it harder to fight off infections in the future if ever they should arrive. In a grid down scenario the last thing you need is a dampened immune system.

Bacterial infections, sinus infections, strep throat and others are some types of infections that call for antibiotics. If you ever think you may need to self medicate for any reason it would behoove you to learn the difference between a virus and a bacterial infection. Also keep in mind that obtaining a stockpile of multiple antibiotics may be quite challenging without a doctor that feels the way you do about impending doom. A common alternative to this are fish antibiotics. They are made with the same compounds as their human consumed counterparts. Please see our section in relation to using fish antibiotics as a substitute.

Topical antibiotic creams are good to have in plenty as well, while they can’t treat serious burns and cuts, bacterial infections from minor wounds can be staved off with a few repeated applications of these simple topical creams.

2. Pain Medication / Fever Reducer

Headaches, achy muscles and pain from injuries. There are plenty of over the counter pain relievers to relieve pain and even fever from the common cold and flu. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is an excellent choice and also safe for children to consume. Too much can damage the liver.

There are also non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that can reduce injury-related inflammation, arthritis and fever. these are known as aspirin and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). Aspirin should not be given to children as it is known to cause negative effects in children such as Reye’s syndrome.

He would do well to stock up on your favorite pain reliever as well as liquid or chewable Tylenol for any children that may be present. A fever in a young child can be dangerous if spiking and you will need something on hand to reduce it.

3. Anti-diarrhea

I’m sure sometime in your life you have had diarrhea. Constantly going. It gets messy and quickly dehydrates you. Whether your home or forced on the road, it may be very difficult to safely relieve yourself every 20 minutes. Coupled with dehydration, during an emergency this is the last thing you need to worry about. Complications from dehydration include variability, confusion and weakness.

There are two different medicines that can help stop the flow and sensation of diarrhea. Psyllium (thickening mixture) will absorb water and give your stool a little added volume. Then there are antispasmodic medicines that will slow down the spasms in your lower intestine. Imodium, pepto diarrhea control and loperamide in a pill form are all excellent choices to have stocked in your first aid kit. You can find a good deal on Amazon here.

4. Any prescriptions you take regularly

In a long term disaster scenario there will be people who can no longer gain access to medications they had previously prescribed to. This could very well lead to death for some. While some medicines have natural substitutes, alternative treatments and homeopathic remedies, others may absolutely be dependent on their medicine. If there is any medicine you must take it is recommended you have a minimum 1 month supply. When it comes to medical supplies to stock up on you should tailor your list to your personal needs as well.

Among the big for just listed there are several additional supplies to have at the ready.

• Rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide

Not only can they clean wounds but hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol have several other practical uses.

• Bandages

if you think you have enough buy some more. You can go through 20 on 1 injury alone. Bandages on wounds need to be frequently cleaned. Some more than others.

• Thermometer

These are very important when little ones are present. Old-fashioned variants do not require batteries. Something to be said if you intend on being without power.

• Oral re-hydration solutions

Whether you are dehydrated due to illness or diarrhea, you will want to offset the effects. This is done by making a simple solution of 1 liter of water to eight teaspoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt. It is best to boil the water and add the ingredients to the mix while the water is still warm.

• Honey

If stored properly honey will never expire. It can also be used to treat wounds and give your meals a little extra flavor.

• Cough drops

Stressing a cough may just keep the rest of your family sleeping at night. For the price it wouldn’t hurt to have a big bag at hand. off brand cough drops can be found at a great price.

• Anti itch cream

Into poison oak or sumac knows how much itching can drain from your productivity. Now imagine that while under the stress of a disaster.

• Multivitamins

I think these become most important if you find yourself in a situation where food becomes reserved or even scarce. If your body maybe come deprived in any way these would then become very useful.

Knee braces / ace bandages

Some injuries such as sprains take time to heal and a good ace bandage can help. Knee braces make being mobile with a mild knee injury a more comfortable option.

These are just my recommendations. Everyone has their own needs that should be adhered to. Let your own needs personally tailor your first aid cache.

Expiration of Medicine

Medicine will go bad but there are many deciding factors controlling how much potency is lost and how fast. The words “store in a cool dry place” must sound familiar. Moisture and heat can strip a medicines effectiveness. Time can be a factor as well. While an expiration date is merely a reminder, the longer a medicine since the better chance it has of losing its potency. If the medicine has changed color, texture, smell or taste it should then be discarded immediately.