I’m clumsy, seemingly always injuring myself in some stupid, careless way. That’s one reason I keep a stockpile of first-aid supplies in my medicine cabinet and in my handbag. What does a normal, non-clumsy person need? Here’s my list of the seven things you should absolutely keep in your medicine cabinet…
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Even if you’re not accident-prone, you’ll still probably cut yourself at one time or another, so it’s a good idea to keep a topical cleanser in your medicine cabinet. Use peroxide or Betadyne for cleaning wounds, but avoid rubbing alcohol. It stings and doesn’t offer any other real benefits.
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Once you’ve cleaned a cut, you’ll want to protect it with a bandage. Keep a box of all different sizes handy, just in case, and make sure they’re sterile.
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There are different over-the-counter pain medications for different types of pain. For muscle pain and inflammation, try Motrin. For headaches, try Tylenol or Excedrin. Aspirin is another great choice, but try not to take any of these pain relievers on an empty stomach. Also, make sure to throw away expired medications and replace them with new bottles.
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It’s a great idea to keep a thermometer in your medicine cabinet to check for fevers. My mother was always spot-on when it came to checking for a fever with just her wrist on someone’s forehead, but I have cold hands so EVERYONE feels warm to me! And remember, for any adult or child, a fever of 101 degrees or more requires medical attention.
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For minor bumps and sprains, you’ll want to have an ice-pack handy. A good rule of thumb is to leave a cold pack on for 20 minutes, then off for 20 minutes, then on for another 20 minutes. This will reduce pain and swelling, at least until you can seek professional medical assistance.
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In the summer, it’s a great idea to keep an extra bottle of sunblock in your medicine cabinet. Every year, check the expiration date to make sure it’s still good. When applying sunblock, make sure you use enough, and re-apply frequently! For one adult arm, you need the equivalent of one quarter-sized dollop.
Photo Credit: ☂ bitzi took his umbrella and left ✈
In the winter, make sure you have a supply of cold and flu remedies in your medicine cabinet, because if you or a little one is sick, the last thing you’ll want to do is venture out for cough syrup! Keep a cough medicine, some cough drops, and a day-time and night-time cold remedy, and make sure to throw away anything out-of-date and replace it with something current.
Run into your bathroom and see how many of these things you already have on hand. If you have more than half of them, kudos to you! Now go get the rest of them, too! What do you always keep in your medicine cabinet, and why? Please let me know!
Top Photo Credit: ☂ bitzi took his umbrella and left ✈