Every home needs to have some medical supplies on hand, in order to be prepared in case a minor emergency should happen. 

If a home has a well-stocked first-aid kit, it can help family members be able to respond immediately to common household injuries and emergencies. Every homeowner needs to be prepared and stock some essential medicines and medical supplies in a first aid kit, in order to meet your every need. Here are some of the must-have items that you need to keep in your homemade first aid kit.

Most pain relievers are used to relieve headaches, sore muscles, arthritis, or other pains. Pain relievers can easily be purchased over the counter without a prescription. You can buy different pain medicines, and each one has advantages and risks. Some pains respond better to certain medications than others. Each person may also have a slightly different response to a pain reliever.

Over-the-counter medicines are good for many types of pain. If these OTC medicines can't relieve your pain, you can ask your doctor to prescribe something stronger. Many pain relievers are also available at higher prescription doses.

Common pain relievers to look for at your local store are ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or naproxen.  

Every home should keep reusable ice packs in their freezer. These are one of the must-have items that should be a part of your first aid kit. An ice pack can help reduce swelling caused by injuries such as bruises, sprains, acute inflammation, inflammatory rheumatic illness, toothache, headaches, and fever.

 

On the other hand, a hot pack will assist in increasing circulation, with temporary relief to muscle aches, back pain, sinusitis, or menstrual cramps. It is also good for non-inflammatory complaints such as sciatica, lumbago, muscle aches, and muscle tension.

Preventing the need for a first aid kit in the first place is an even better option. If you do work projects around the house, you should have a stock of protective gloves. Here are some types of gloves and their appropriate applications.

· Cotton and fabric gloves – This type of glove can keep your hands clean and protect against abrasions, but may not be strong enough to handle work with rough or sharp materials.

· Rubber, plastic, or synthetic gloves – This is the type of glove that you can use to clean or work with oils, solvents, and other chemicals. 

· Leather gloves – This type of glove can be used for many purposes, such as lifting heavy equipment, metals, and other sharp materials. The risk of cuts and abrasions also can be minimized by wearing leather gloves.

Your first aid kit should include supplies for dressing minor wounds. This essential first aid supply can help cover and protect minor wounds, which occurred from an accidental fall or from a burn while cooking. These essential medical items on your first aid kit list should include gauze pads, elastic wraps, assorted band-aids, cute band-aids for little ones, adhesive tapes, bandage strips, and "butterfly" bandages in assorted sizes. Antibiotic ointments and antiseptic cleaners are also good to have on hand to help prevent the wound from becoming infected.

Hydrogen peroxide is one of the must-have items that you need to keep in your first aid kit. This will be used to clean any cut or open wounds. You can shop for this solution at any drug store. 

You can also keep other must-have items such as hand sanitizer and non-latex gloves to be used by whoever administering the first aid.

Be sure to have applicators stocked in your first aid kit. Store these must have items, like cotton balls and cotton swabs in a clean, dry place. When the need arises to administer and cleansers or ointments, you will have a sanitary applicator.

These supplies will also serve double-duty in the bathroom for everything from ear cleaning to makeup removal.

You can find tweezers in the health and beauty section of the department store. They are great for splinter removal. It would also help if you had small scissors in your kit for cutting bandages or gauze to the right length.

You need to add a thermometer in your first aid kit. This will be very useful if a member of the family is not feeling well. This must-have item is especially essential if you have a child living in the home and you need to monitor their temperature.

A first aid manual can also be helpful to keep in your kit. You can use it as a guide for treating minor injuries and wounds. It is also beneficial to keep instructional manuals on how to administer CPR and diagrams on how to perform the Heimlich maneuver in case of choking.

If you are putting together a homemade first aid kit, these are the must-have items you will need to make sure you are ready to face the challenge, in case a minor emergency happens.

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