What Should be in Your Family’s Medicine Cabinet?

Do you have a medicine cabinet? Whether you have a literal medicine cabinet or you store the items elsewhere, do you have the medications and supplies you need to treat the everyday ailments your family may experience?

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, I realized that my family’s medicine cabinet was lacking. I’ve done some research to find out what constitutes a well-stocked medicine cabinet. Here are the supplies experts say you should have on hand.

Medicine cabinet essentials

Medications

Pain relievers and fever reducers

Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and aspirin are the three most common pain relievers and fever reducers.

• Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is a fever reducer and pain reliever. Precisely how acetaminophen works in the body is a bit of a mystery. It doesn’t decrease swelling or inflammation. Instead, it appears to change the way the body senses pain. It also helps bring fevers down.
• Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) is an anti-inflammatory medication. It works by blocking the body’s production of prostaglandin, a substance that promotes inflammation and fever.
• Aspirin is an anti-inflammatory medication. Like ibuprofen, it works by blocking the body’s production of prostaglandin, a substance that promotes inflammation and fever. Additionally, aspirin slows the blood’s clotting ability.

It is useful to have all three of these pain relievers and fever reducers on hand because one may be better than the others for a particular need. For example, you may want ibuprofen instead of acetaminophen when treating a sprained ankle because of its anti-inflammatory properties.

Always read the labels on these medications because each has benefits, risks, side effects, and potential interactions with other drugs. Though these are over-the-counter (OTC) medications, these risks are not minimal. They include liver damage, kidney damage, GI bleeding, and increased risk of heart attack or stroke. If you are uncertain which you should use, then check with your health care provider. Please note that infants under age 6 months should only be given acetaminophen (contact your doctor for details on indications and dosing). Children 6 months through age 12 years can take acetaminophen or ibuprofen, but they should not be given aspirin because of its link to Reye’s syndrome, a childhood illness that affects the brain and liver.

Allergy medications

Antihistamine allergy medications are useful in treating both seasonal allergies and allergic reactions to things like bee stings or foods. There are a wide variety of safe and effective antihistamines available. You can see details on how to choose an OTC allergy medication here. Some experts recommend having a first generation antihistamine (Benadryl) on hand for night use because these varieties cause drowsiness and a second generation antihistamine (Claritin, Zyrtec) on hand for day use because these don’t cause drowsiness. Saline nasal sprays, which are natural and drug free, are also helpful for relieving some allergy symptoms.

Cold and cough medications

There are numerous medications used to treat coughs and colds including decongestants, cough medications, cough drops, and throat lozenges.

• Decongestants. These medications help relieve the congestion associated with common colds. Some also contain ingredients that help with pain and/or promote sleep. Decongestants that contain pseudoephedrine, which is frequently used in the production of methamphetamine, are kept behind the pharmacy counter. You can get one of these if you prefer or you can get another decongestant that is kept on the regular shelves of the pharmacy. Those with and without pseudoephedrine often work equally well.
• Cough medicines. There are two types of OTC cough medications available: antitussives (these suppress cough by blocking the cough reflex) and expectorants (these thin mucus to help clear it from the airway). The most common antitussive is dextromethorphan (found in Delsym 12 Hour Cough Relief and Vicks 44 DM) and the only OTC expectorant is guaifenesin (found in Mucinex and Robitussin Chest Congestion). If you are not sure which type of cough medicine is right for you, then check with your doctor or pharmacist.
• Cough drops and throat lozenges. Cough drops are lozenges that typically contain menthol or eucalyptus oil, ingredients that act as temporary cough suppressants. Throat lozenges are designed to relieve the discomfort of sore throats. They typically contain soothing ingredients like honey and menthol. Both cough drops and throat lozenges can go a long way in alleviating discomfort during a cold.

Digestive aids

At some point, someone in your household will be in need of digestive aids. These include medications for treating heartburn, nausea, and diarrhea. There are some medications on the market, such as bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto Bismol), that treat several of these conditions. Other medications, such as calcium carbonate (TUMS) and loperamide (Imodium), treat just one (the former treats heartburn and the latter treats diarrhea). Having a variety of these aids on hand can be helpful in treating everyday digestive ailments.

Creams and ointments

There are a few types of creams or ointments that are useful to include in a medicine cabinet.

• Anti-itch creams. Calamine lotion, topical diphenhydramine (Benadryl), and topical steroids (Cortisone-10) are very helpful in relieving the itch from insect bites, poison ivy, minor rashes, etc.
• Antibiotic ointments. Antibiotic ointments such as Neosporin help treat or prevent minor skin infections that can occur from scraps, cuts, or insect bites.
• Healing ointments. Healing ointments such as Aquaphor or Maty’s All Natural Baby Ointment are suitable substitutes for antibiotic ointments for wounds that aren’t infected (source). In fact, studies show they work just as well and may even be superior because they carry less risk of allergic reaction and don’t contribute to the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. These ointments are also helpful for dry skin, eczema, and chapped lips.

Supplies

It is useful to keep the following supplies in a medicine cabinet:

• Medication cup or medication syringe
• Adhesive bandages
• Thermometer (affordable oral thermometers are typically as accurate as more expensive ear and forehead thermometers)
• Tweezers
• Nasal aspirator bulb or Nose Frieda
• Phone number (1-800-222-1222) and web address (https://poison.org) for Poison Control (please note that they no longer recommend keeping ipecac syrup or activated charcoal in the home for use in case of poisoning)

Final thoughts

As you can see, this list doesn’t include information on supplies for first aid kits. I addressed first aid supplies in a post that I wrote a couple of years ago (see it here). Likewise, I didn’t address how to properly dispose of medications here, but you can see details on this in this post.

When putting together your medicine cabinet, always think of safety first. Store medications in a locked cabinet or other location where they cannot be accessed by children. Though many of us store medications in the bathroom, experts recommend choosing another location because the heat and humidity in bathrooms can damage many medications. Also, carefully read the labels of all medications to make sure you should be taking them and that you know how to take them correctly. Contact your doctor or a pharmacist if you have questions.

For additional information, please check out my sources:

• 12 Medicine Cabinet Essentials
• 8 Things You Need in Your Medicine Cabinet
• Choosing the Best Fever Reducer
• Acetaminophen vs. Ibuprofen: What to Take When
• Is There Any Difference Between OTC Pain Relievers?
• Thermometers: Understand the Options

What have I missed here? What additional items do you like to store in your medicine cabinet? 

Shared at the following:

Encouraging Hearts and Home, Over the Moon, and Busy Monday.