What should be in your travel first aid kit? – A checklist and tips

You should definitely pack painkillers. You can take them for headaches, toothaches or aching limbs – and they also help with fevers and colds.

Ideally, you should pack painkillers whose active ingredient is paracetamol. They help with headaches or menstrual cramps, for example. Paracetamol is also effective in the case of injuries such as abrasions and sprains. Painkillers containing ibuprofen dilute the blood, as do medications containing acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), such as aspirin, with even greater effect. This active substance is therefore not suitable for injuries involving external or internal bleeding. ASA can also worsen various tropical diseases such as dengue fever or malaria.

It is different if you take Aspirin Cardio as a regular medication – then you should continue to take it while travelling. To be on the safe side, speak to a medical professional before you leave.

Medication for treating nausea caused by gastrointestinal diseases or motion sickness, for example if you are travelling by boat or train.

In addition, a painkiller that has an antispasmodic effect.

Anti-diarrhoea medications slow down the activity of the large intestine. They do not treat the cause of illness. This means that, depending on the cause – for example, if you have ingested an aggressive germ in your food that the body is now trying to get rid of – the diarrhoea medication can be a hindrance. This is because the large intestine will work more slowly, meaning that the germ will remain in your body for longer.

In any case, it is important that you take on the fluids you have lost again. Adults should drink at least three litres of clean water or tea. If the diarrhoea lasts longer than 24 hours, the body also needs salt and sugar. In small children, this is recommended after just a few hours of illness. This can be done either with a rehydration solution (for example, an electrolyte powder to dissolve in water) or with salty soup and sweetened tea.

So for diarrhoea, you should pack: diarrhoea tablets and, if appropriate, powder containing electrolytes.

Your first aid kit should include hand sanitiser and something to disinfect open wounds. Hand sanitiser is made to be used on intact skin. For open wounds, you will need a separate disinfectant or an ointment with a disinfectant effect.

Also pack an ointment for skin irritation or itching, for example for mosquito bites or rashes.

It is generally not recommended to take antibiotics as a precaution. If you are travelling to remote places or regions with very poor healthcare, it may make sense in specific cases to have a broad-spectrum antibiotic prescribed as a precaution. It may also be useful if you are going on a trip with a high risk of injury. However, antibiotics are usually not what is needed directly after an accident – other medical care is generally required first. It’s best to talk to a medical professional in advance about what is recommended for your trip.

Air conditioning on planes dries out the mucous membranes. Drops can act as a preventative, especially for people who tend to suffer from dry mucous membranes.

Allergy medication, asthma sprays, heart medication, thrombosis prophylaxis and so on: clarify with your doctor what medication you particularly need, whether you should take the whole pack with you or whether a few tablets or capsules are enough.

Bring dressings with you on every trip: simple adhesive plasters, blister plasters, compresses, self-adhesive gauze bandages, elastic bandages, fixation plasters and wound closure strips.

Disposable gloves are important primarily for binding wounds. You should also pack:

• Thermometer

• Rescue blanket (especially when travelling to remote regions)

• Tweezers

• Scissors

Make sure you get a good insect repellent. Depending on the destination, malaria prophylaxis may also be required. Otherwise, equip yourself with mosquito spray and a mosquito net – these will help a lot.

With a hat and sun cream, as well as light, long-sleeved clothing, you are well protected from the sun. Sun cream is still needed on uncovered areas of the body. Remember to reapply the cream after a few hours – especially when it’s hot and humid, when you are sweating heavily or when swimming.

If you cannot buy commercially bottled water as you go and boiling water is not possible or too difficult, you need to get clean water in another way. A water filter or tablets for water treatment are then a must for your luggage.

Better safe than sorry: prescriptions, proof of vaccination, proof of health insurance abroad and your insurance card take up little space and can save you a lot of hassle in an emergency. Diabetes and allergy passports should also be in your luggage. If you’re travelling by plane, take these documents in your carry-on baggage so you always have them at hand.

Also make a note of the most important emergency numbers. For Switzerland and Europe (including non-EU countries), it’s 112.

Many medications have a ‘children’s version’. This often contains less active ingredient and in many cases is processed in a different pharmaceutical form. Tablets are difficult for children to swallow; syrups or coated tablets go down more easily. If the syrup is packaged in a glass bottle, wrap the bottle in bubble wrap and put it in an extra plastic bag.

Apart from that, talk to a trusted medical professional about which medications are right for you.