4 Often Forgotten Medical Supplies To Spruce Up Your Emergency First Aid Kit

by | Jul 13, 2019 | Emergency Preparedness, Headline News | 32 comments

Do you LOVE America?

    Share

    Prepping comes with its up and downs and it often comes more opinions than anything.  So today, I’m sharing an opinion of mine.  There are 4 medical items that people will often overlook when putting together a medical kit, and I think they should at least be considered.

    Things happen. People forget. We think we’re done. But some of us are really never done preparing for the future and upgrading our vehicle survival bags and medical kits. Because of that, there are 4 things that people often do overlook when putting together a medical bag, and all could be invaluable if you need them.

    It’s better to not need it and have it than to need it and not have it.

    1. Over the Counter Pain Medication

    These are not cheap and they do expire, so you’ll have to make sure you keep your stash current.  The only reason to make sure medications aren’t expired is that they do lose potency over time. Even hydrogen peroxide will eventually become nothing more than essentially a bottle of water. I prefer not to use over the counter pain medication if I can help it, but sometimes you’ll need to take the edge off.  Plus, a couple of Aspirin could be a bartering item.

    Make sure you keep extra medicines you and family members are already taking on hand.  If you run out of those medications, it will definitely be a time to panic!

    2. A Reference Manual & Skills

    If you’re not a medical professional, having a few books on hand to help you out could be incredibly valuable in a SHTF situation.  One of the ones I highly recommend is The Survival Medicine Handbook: THE essential guide for when medical help is NOT on the way,  by Joseph Alton MD. But there are others that could provide value too such as Living Ready Pocket Manual – First Aid: Fundamentals for Survival. If you have a family member that could perhaps become pregnant or is already pregnant, consider grabbing some books on the subject too.  It can never hurt to have a reference if there’s no medical professional around and you need answers fast!

    You may also want to boost your skills.  Take a first aid and CPR class.  Sign up for any medical aid classes you can and learn how to treat common illnesses and injuries.

    3. Emotional Stress Relief

    In a SHTF scenario, people are going to be stressed out. Sleeping is going to be difficult and emotions will run high as peoples’ mood deteriorate. Keep something on hand to soothe some of the stress.  If herbal tea calms you, keep extra on hand.  If you like having your pet around because they boost your mood, make preps for them.  I also toss CBD oil in my bug out bag and keep some in the house.  It works well for me, and while it’s not for everyone, it may help some and it doesn’t take up too much space.

    4. Clotting Agent

    Clotting agents, like Quikclot or Celox, help to get wounds to stop bleeding and scab over quicker. This can be very useful in a situation where a wound is bleeding quickly. The more blood a person loses, the longer it will take them to heal. Using a clotting agent helps to reduce their recovery time and can prevent them from bleeding out and dying.

    This is by no means an exhaustive list of things people can overlook. But I know at least few that don’t have some of these items in their medical supplies. I also tried to choose the items that would be of the most value to most people. Of course, I always assume that if I can’t use it, I may be able to barter with it.

    URGENT ON GOLD… as in URGENT

    It Took 22 Years to Get to This Point

    Gold has been the right asset with which to save your funds in this millennium that began 23 years ago.

    Free Exclusive Report
    The inevitable Breakout – The two w’s

      Related Articles

      Comments

      Join the conversation!

      It’s 100% free and your personal information will never be sold or shared online.

      32 Comments

      1. Save any prescribed pain meds in the fridge for the day you need them. Hydrocodone keeps quite a while and while I don’t know if it degrades, wife and I have used it (several yrs. old) and we’re still here.
        Caffeine tablets. Keep in fridge.
        Lidocaine patches might be of use although I haven’t tried them yet. Good for local pain relief.
        Just got some white willow bark extract capsules…the origin of aspirin. We’ll see how they work…
        Emotional stress relief? CBD oil won’t do much.
        Green bud, Hornitos tequila, maybe..
        You should fix what ails the site, Mac.

        • 10-4 on that Ketchup. Keep a flask of high proof with you! Kills germs AND stress relief lol. I have used white willow for pain and yes it works! I believe that most willows and even aspen bark will work. Just cut off a section of bark and scrape the insides off and eat them (the inside scrapings).

        • BOOZE KEEP PLENTY OF IT

      2. #1 OTC medicine.
        I go through aspirin like it is candy.
        I usually have 1,000’s on hand.
        I have a bad knee and shoulder.
        one from sports, the other from Military service.
        I keep Merthiolate close by, very old school
        but it works! Neosporin is another good OTC.
        All are cheap and they work.
        #2 I have more manuals than I know what to do with.
        #3 Emotional Stress Relief a gun, a thousand rounds of ammo, and a case of beer works good.
        #4 I’m a clumsy gentleman farmer, I have more scars than I can count. Pressure and patience always works. Anything beyond that needs stiches. Which I have more than my share of.
        My last visit to the ER the Physicians Asst. refused to sew me up and called in a doctor to do it. I had stopped the bleeding,
        but could not sew myself up do to the location of the wound.
        Something for your preppers to think about.
        You may have all the skills necessary, but some things
        somebody else has to do.

        • Rellik:

          Good comments, though I would NOT recommend Merthiolate due to the mercury in it. Even small amounts of mercury cause damage to the nervous system, kidneys, etc. Personally I believe in colloidal silver, tea tree oil, etc. These are innocuous substances that really DO work; I have used them for over 20 years and swear by them.

          FWIW.

          • Merthiolate is a topical antiseptic.
            To be used externally only on superficial
            scrapes and cuts.
            You don’t drink it.
            Chemicals used wisely are your friends.
            I’m not a first responder, just a first aid/
            CPR level guy.

        • The push for expiration dates started in the 1990s. There was an experiment published in Jama, I believe 2002, where some physician scientists went to a military ware house and tested the meds in the ware house which were from the Korean War.
          99% good.
          As long as the medicine looks like it always did, it is probably ok.
          The big problem was Tetracycline, as partial breakdown of tetracycline causes Permanent Fanconi syndrome (the glucose filter in the kidney). To my knowkege the other meds in that family do not cause that side effect.
          The new diabetic meds give a short time lack of function in the kidney glucose filter and then it resumes to normal in a few hours.

          Must add on the aspirin. Which comes from plants in the Salixaceae family. Aspirin will cause kidney failure it is only a matter of time.
          Consider trying MSM / DMSO, these antiinflammatries are broken down in the liver and thus, no renal failure.

        • Your comment is better than the article. OTC pain killers are not expensive. You can get thousands for almost nothing, quick clot and others are a bit expensive, but none of the basics are. The various antiseptics are cheap. People should know their supply of plain old bandage is far to low, you use gause like water . I don’t know what is going on with this site but the quality of the articles is going down like a rock

        • rellik–I use acetaminophen because I read it is easiest on stomach damage and I take a lot for back, headache, and sinus.

      3. This is why I went out and at my own expense got training and certification as an EMT-Basic. Regarding pain meds that expire, Tylenol 3 has codeine in it and is short lived. Keeping this in the refrigerator can easily double its lifespan, from what I have been told by a registered nurse. EMT/Paramedic kits can be had on eBay or Amazon for $150 – $200. A wise investment indeed. These kits come with blood pressure cuffs, stethoscopes, every kind of bandage imaginable, etc. WELL WORTH THE MONEY to get one of these and then augment it over time with stuff applicable to your particular situation and needs.

        I FULLY expect the health care system in this country to continue to degrade thinks to the increasing doctor shortage, aging baby boomer population as well as the ravages of the (un)affordable healthcare act. Already, I have found it more difficult to get doctor’s appointments in a timely manner and being able to handle certain things at home saves both money and time.

        A wonderful book by Hesperian “Where There Is No Doctor” is an extremely valuable resource, as well as nearly any EMT or Paramedic training manual.

        FWIW.

      4. Taking Aspirin, Aleve, or Motrin over a long period of time can destroy your kidneys and raise your blood pressure to a dangerous level. Doing the same with Tylenol may cause liver damage.

        • Tylenol causes more liver failure than ALL other causes combined!

          • And be aware (rellik) polysporin is better than neosporin and both are the primary cause of MRSA and similar infections that are becoming nontreatable, with any antibiotic.
            These infections are more common in North America than anywhere else in the world because we have used so many neosporins and penicillin derivatives.

            • Colloidial silver gel works great. Effective on MRSA. I have used it many times with good results.

      5. Starting fluid.

      6. 1: Alcohol
        2: Peroxide
        3: Apple Cider Vinegar
        4: A&D Ointment
        5: gauze
        6: medical tape
        Suture items and scissors….thats it

        • If it’s a true long lasting SHTF add Vitamins (Your diet will be terrible and healing takes V&M) Also old fashioned Iodine, Keeps forever. and will decontaminate water (water borne crap is a killer) Also Germicidal soap. Ask any DR. dirty water and a filthy body has killed more people than bullets.

          • Those ( soap and vitamines ) would fall under food and hygiene, I do not use iodine so that would not be in my kit.

      7. Notice how few comments?
        Comments now censored. App used here censors comments and free speech.

        control a Bleed:
        – tourniquets
        – Israeli combat bandage
        – quick clot
        Have several duplicats of these items.
        – carry on person
        – carry wife car
        – car your vehicle
        – have handy at home

        Articles you should read: at BlackListedNews. c 0m
        Read before deleted. Articles across net are being censored.
        Youtube banning video of Tommy Robinson.

        – Revealed: This Is Palantir’s Top-Secret User Manual for Cops
        – London police official warns journalists not to publish gov. leaks with threats of imprisonment

        • Besides spurious opinions (mine included), information on pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, and science are strictly regulated.

          When seconds count, use the 800 number.

      8. ibuprofen 800mg or 600s. most pain is cause by inflammation. use very sparingly. get a big can of permethrin spray to keep the bugs away. no one talks about what will happen when the pest control services go away. mosquitos carry malaria denge fever and you will be sick as hell if you dont keep them away from you especially in a bugout situation. bugs is one of my biggest concerns.

      9. “Emotional Stress Relief … I also toss CBD oil in my bug out bag and keep some in the house.”

        CBD does not apparently act upon cannabinoid receptors, nor would it cure any nervous conditions, any differently from any bio-available oil, from any plant or animal specie.

        If you want to use CBD’s relatedness to marijuana as a sales gimmick —

        Have A Marijuana
        youtube.com/watch?v=QvelUoAgyw8

      10. The most often omitted medical preps are those items related to illnesses brought about by bad food and water. In a SHTF event, bad food and water will be a problem so don’t forget to stock-up on:

        Anti-Diarrheal Medicine Loperamide Hydrochloride Tablets (e.g. Imodium Tablets)

      11. I just watched this YouTube Video and found it helpful.

        Best Drugs to Stock in a Prepper Home Pharmacy

        h ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaSQHddSGw8&list=PL1g6LUt7xblHHbstXjfaMT_KpH0u-CSXL&index=11&t=0s

      12. If you want to carry a topical antibiotic, avoid any with neomycin in it. Neomycin is one of the quickest sensitizers out there and so it’ll work for a while but then you’ll become allergic to it and it will impede healing. Polysporin or Triple Antibiotic are better choices for a topical antibiotic. And remember – if it’s not infected, it doesn’t need an antibiotic. Soap, water, and petrolatum are adequate for non-infected wounds.

      13. I’ve got #2 and #4 well covered. #1 I don’t touch at all and the jury is still out on #3. I think I’ll buy one bottle of CBD oil and try it. If I’m NOT impressed with it then to hell with it.

      14. * Know how to stop a bleed. Have several tourniquets and clean multi use bandanas on your person. Elevation, Pressure.
        * Know how to swim. Know how to rescue swimmer in trouble.
        * Know how to give breath. Restore breath.
        * Know how to apply a chest seal. Have a chest seal available. Remember to turn the victim over. Front hole, back hole.
        * Know how to break a car window. Not easy. Have tool on you.
        * Know about proper hydration and heat stroke.

        Congratulations. You might be able to save someone you care about.
        _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
        I was wondering?:
        Explain to me why after 12 years of public education and damn few graduates can do any of this?
        After a 4 year college education damn few people can do any of this.
        But they can use Twatter-FarceBook-Youkook, they use Gaggle and pretend they know something. They are superior because Mommy and Daddy, dished out $1000 for a tracking surviellance device disquised as a cell phone.

        These phone zombies often walk in front of me while driving.
        Dallas Texas mourns loss of twelve year old young man who had a bright future. The adults thought it was a good idea for a 12 year old to run about in heavy Dallas traffic begging donations for school athletics. Property and school taxes in Texas are insane. So damn high. Yet the school never has enough money. They force parents to pay for children to participate in athletics. The adults allow children to run about in heavy traffic begging donations. Can anyone explain this?
        The senseless death of a promising young man.
        No ACCOUNTABILITY for school or the adults that ALLOWED this. No good judgement. No Accountability.

        This is Amerrikka.
        We have foriegn born muslim bratty females elected to congress and threatening to Impeach a fairly elected President.

        Non Compliance. Do not allow foriegn born Muslims to make laws. Do not comply.

        Amerrikka. Over run at open borders. No accountability for any criminal act committed by public officials. Those for open borders are TRAITORS. A Danger to National Security. The Muslims/Foriegners in congress are threats to National Security.

        BORDER SECURITY. BORDER SECURITY.
        Stop Foriegners from owning and directing US mass media.
        STOP CHINA. STOP DRUG CARTELS. Arrest Politicians and Police on Drug cartel Payroll.

      15. I’ve been experimenting with black seed oil.

        I’ve had very rare gout attacks, as well as arthritis. The other day a regular muscle cramp in my back under a shoulder blade.

        Black seed oil stopped the pain in every case within minutes. This stuff works as cool as Tylenol, except it works in minutes without side effects.

        Disclaimer, I’m not a doctor, also it can cause skin irritation. Dilute it 50:50 with another oil. I dilute it with 1/4 % olive oil, 1/4% coconut oil and 50% black seed oil. Still if you use it excessively you can create a rash, just back off.

        I am amazed at the breath of its effectiveness. It can be used to reduce dependence on stuff like Tylenol that can fry your liver.

        Use it with reduced dosages and alternate with stuff like Tylenol or Ibuprophine. Those pain relievers are great, but black seed oil can remove pain to let you sleep without the poisons.

        They also sell black seed oil in gel caps. Take one a day if you ever had cancer. It has anti cancer properties, perhaps better than canabus oil.

        • Ok correction, that’s 25% olive oil, 25% coconut oil and 50% black sed oil.

          • A few cans of raid yard guard in your preps can kill a lot of bugs.

            If you must work outside, 40% deet can keep the bugs away. Spray it on clothing and hats, not skin.

            They also sell an equivelent to the old shell no pest strip. Suitable for garages, and slaughter rooms. Got wild game?

            We had an encounter, a neice who had conjunctivitis and was visiting, i.e. Pink eye, but it wasn’t the bacterial kind. The most common viral form is adenovirus related. Turns out it’s really hard to kill. Common sterilizing agents like Clorox or hydrogen peroxide are totally ineffective. Regular washing of cloths is ineffective, and this stuff can live on surfaces for six months. OMG!

            But alas, it doesn’t like heat, so if you encounter it, let your dryer run its hottest cycle.

            • sure, spray harsh chemicals onto your clothing to get absorbed into the skin it touches then your glands as you sweat….schmuck

      16. know how to make a stretcher with blanket and poles, or a couple of shirts on poles. you can learn a LOT about first aid by reading the boy scouts manual, or “where there is no doctor”, or the red cross first aid manual. also have a nurse’s drug book and antibiotics of several kind. get involved with your local CERT team, and they will train you for free. get a lifesaving coarse if you can find one.

        First aid book
        Prescription medications (keep copies for records)
        Cold/flu medicines
        Vitamins
        Blood clotting quickclot(doctors HATE this stuff….it’s hard to clean up)
        Sterile gauze
        Dressing bandages
        Dressing rolls
        Medical tape
        lidocaine
        Bandages of all sizes
        Alcohol wipes
        Hydrogen peroxide
        Eye flushing solution
        Anesthetic solution
        Hypodermic needles (for the antiseptic solution)
        Electrolyte tablets
        Benadryl
        Scissors
        Tweezers
        Cold Packs
        Antibiotic ointment
        Thermometers
        Skin irritation creams
        Gloves
        Mask
        Suture needles/string
        tourniquet
        List of medical contact phone numbers
        Medical history file (if needed)

        If you have oral rehydration salts with electrolytes on hand in your survival kit, that’s your best bet. If not, you can easily make your own using the following recipe:
        –1 liter of clean water
        -½ teaspoon salt
        -6 teaspoons sugar

      Commenting Policy:

      Some comments on this web site are automatically moderated through our Spam protection systems. Please be patient if your comment isn’t immediately available. We’re not trying to censor you, the system just wants to make sure you’re not a robot posting random spam.

      This website thrives because of its community. While we support lively debates and understand that people get excited, frustrated or angry at times, we ask that the conversation remain civil. Racism, to include any religious affiliation, will not be tolerated on this site, including the disparagement of people in the comments section.