14 Medical Items You Should Always Have

*5-Minute Read*

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For my first three years of high school, I was immune to all ailments... except for seasonal allergies (which I've had my entire life) and one coughing fit. My senior year, I hurt my knee and it, albeit occasionally, still pains me to this day. And that was just the beginning of the woes. I lost count of how many times I was sick throughout my college years. I'm not gonna lie; it's straight-up dreadful. However, it did strike a reminder in me that issues can pop at any time. It's always helpful to be prepared. 
  

1) Medical device (if any)
This is not only for those who need one every day. Keep track of your blood pressure monitor, even if that particular issue has never landed you in the ER. Keep track of your inhaler, even if it seems like you've outgrown that asthma. Keep track of your EpiPen, even if you're super careful when it comes to avoiding peanut-laden foods. You don't want to go through an unexpected, isolated incident without the device meant to restore you back to health.

2) Prescription medicine (if any)
Always make sure to refill any prescriptions before the pill bottle is completely empty. Do not wait until the last minute to call the pharmacy (and, in some cases, to contact your health provider and then the pharmacy). I'm no doctor, not even close, but I can say that skipping a dose or two of a daily medication may not come without consequences. And if it's "as needed," you never know which day it will be when you'll really need it.

3) Over-the-counter medicine
Have your own little pharmacy at home. I would suggest stocking it up with an anti-inflammatory (i.e., Motrin), antihistamines (one drowsy, one non-drowsy), an anti-acid (i.e, Pepcid), and a cold medicine (i.e., Mucinex D).  These are common ailments that typically crop up at least periodically. Also include, if applicable, a particular medicine that combats a persistent issue you face (like Excedrin for migraines or Melatonin for insomnia).

4) Cough drops
Not only can coughing fits begin abruptly, it'll come in handy that morning you wake up with a slight sore throat. It could come in handy after yelling at a football game or after having a long choir rehearsal. Plus, they taste like candy and take a long time to dissolve.

5) Kleenex
I actually like those tissues with the lotion. They do make my nose feel better. But lacking lotion or non-lotion tissues on the wrong day can be straight-up nasty. Have a Kleenex box in your house and a mini one in your purse or pocket.

6) Band-aids
There is no replacement for band-aids. I know this from experience. Don't wait until you're already bleeding to buy Band-aids. It's no fun.

7) Neosporin
When it comes to some injuries, covering it up with a band-aid may not be enough to heal it. Or to prevent infection. This is when Neosporin becomes just as important as the band-aids.

8) One or more ice packs
You just never know when you'll twist your ankle, wake up with a crick in your neck, or experience another episode with that one joint that's iffy at best. Heat doesn't work for me personally, but ice does. The best packs are those with velcro that you can wrap around the aching body part. It's even better if you elevate that body part (like propping your knee up on two pillows). 

9) One or more braces or wraps
Of course, there's no ice pack that you can wear on the go. So the next best thing is a brace or wrap. I'd suggest a brace because, for most of them, all you have to do is slip it on. With a wrap you have to, unsurprisingly, wrap it a certain way. However, they both cushion the painful joint, which makes it feel almost as stable as all your non-painful joints. 

10) Tape
I'm not referring to the standard tape. There's medical tape that has the same function as the braces and wraps. I would save this for some injury that you are unable to brace or wrap, unless a healthcare professional feels obligated to apply it on your problematic joint. For example, one of my toes hurt for several nights in a row. It wasn't broken or anything, but it still bothered me. My ankle brace doesn't cover the toes, and it was too small of an area to wrap it. I didn't expect it to feel any different post-tape, but it did.

11) A thermometer
When I started college, I hadn't had a fever for at least four years. I never even thought about packing a thermometer. Four months later, I end up buying one at a Kroger and discovering that my temperature was 100.something degrees. This slight fever had broken by the next morning. Since I knew for certain that my body temperature was too high, I was able to utilize the correct home remedies. Had I brushed it off as just a "bleh" day, it maybe would've remained elevated. 

12) The contact information of all medical and pharmaceutical providers
My "favorite" contacts on my phone are basically my emergency contacts, about 3/4 of which are healthcare professionals. Store any contact information from all providers, whether you see them once a week or once a year. Some doctors will provide an email address or phone number that isn't displayed online. Some pharmacies have several locations in one town. Avoid potential confusion or missing contact information by taking a moment to input it all on some device. 

13) A binder/folder/file for all medical paperwork
You may be able to get by without this if you're only responsible for yourself, but I'd definitely recommend this to any parent. It doesn't take much to accumulate paperwork - there's guides on whichever illness/injury you have, blood test results, X-rays scans, you name it. And most of them should never end up in a trash can. You don't want to lose, for example, EKG results because you put them in the same folder as your schoolwork.  

14) Whatever takes your mind off the pain
I tend to scroll through Pinterest while icing my knee or when exhausted from dehydration. If something distracts you from agony, make sure it's always in your home. If reading a book helps, make sure you have a bookshelf somewhere. If watching Netflix helps, make sure that your laptop is nearby. Do what ya gotta do. 


Get it all together now, so you can be lazy when you're sick. When you feel bad, it is in your best interest to get as much rest as possible. Running errands is not resting. But what do you do while resting when ill? I could use some more ideas.

- Liv