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This
website was appraised in July 2004 by C-H-i-Q the Centre for Health
Information Quality ‘Working to maximise public confidence in health
information’.
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Traveller's First Aid Kit
It is sensible for travellers to carry a small medical kit, especially if visiting
rural areas, or developing countries. A typical kit would include:
| Aspirin
or paracetamol
| For
pain or fever (acetaminophen in the US)
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| Antihistamine
| Useful
as a decongestant for colds and allergies, to ease the itch from insect
bites or stings, and to help prevent motion sickness. There are several
antihistamines on the market, all with different pros and cons (e.g. a tendency
to cause drowsiness), so it's worth discussing your requirements with a
pharmacist or doctor. Antihistamines may cause sedation and interact
with alcohol so care should be taken when using them.
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| Antibiotics
| Useful
if you're travelling well off the beaten track, but they must be prescribed
and you should carry the prescription with you.
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| Diarrhoea
Treatment
| Loperamide
(e.g. Imodium) or Lomotil for diarrhoea; prochlorperazine (e.g. Stemetil)
or metaclopramide (e.g. Maxalon) for nausea and vomiting.
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| Rehydration Mixture
| For
treatment of severe diarrhoea; this is particularly important if travelling
with children.
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| Antiseptic
| Such
as povidone-iodine (e.g. Betadine) for cuts and grazes.
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| Multivitamins
| Especially
for long trips when dietary vitamin intake may be inadequate.
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| Bites
and Stings
| Calamine
lotion or aluminium sulphate spray (e.g. Stingose spray) to ease irritation
from bites and stings.
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| Bandages and Band-Aids
| For minor injuries
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| Cold and Flu Tablets
| Pseudoephedrine
hydrochloride (Sudafed) may be useful if flying with a cold to avoid ear
damage. Throat lozenges are also useful.
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| Syringes and Needles
| In
case you need injections in a country with medical hygiene problems.
Ask your doctor for a note explaining why they have been prescribed.
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| Miscellaneous
| Scissors, tweezers and a thermometer (note that mercury thermometers
are prohibited by airlines). Insect
repellent, sunscreen, chap stick and water purification tablets.
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Wed, Sep 08, 2010
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We
have been selected for inclusion into OMNI,
the UK gateway to quality medical information on
the web
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