What Should You Put in a Car First Aid Kit in Case of Chronic Diseases?

Absolute and relative contraindications for auto travels

People with absolute contraindications for health reasons simply cannot get a driver’s license; however, any somatic pathology can progress both abruptly and gradually, starting with minor ailments and passing to the stage of absolute contraindications. Therefore, it must be remembered that if you already have a hypertension of the first-second degree, under which it is permissible to drive a car, then you must be attentive to your body in order to prevent the progress up to a third degree, in which driving is already prohibited.

The situation is similar with other pathologies, for example, endocrine disorders. Diabetes mellitus itself does not interfere with driving a car, but regular seizures of hypo- or hyperglycemia make staying behind the wheel impossible. Therefore, in each specific case, when issuing a medical certificate for obtaining a driver’s license, a doctor decides how permissible (with or without restriction) to drive a car by a certain person. If the pathology appeared after obtaining a driver’s license, a person should know which drugs can help him in case of an ailment, and what should be taken on a car journey.

Let’s collect a road first aid kit

The composition of the usual car kit is designed for the most common cases that occur on the road, and most often these are injuries received during auto accidents. But if a person suffers from certain diseases, he should take with him specific medications that can help in the very first minutes of emergency health problems, since you can spend a long time on the way to hospital. So a diabetic patient must have carbohydrates with him (in case of hypoglycemia) and means for reducing blood sugar (in case of hyperglycemia). Hypertonics should have medications that regulate the state of blood vessels; people with heart problems (if they are allowed to drive at all) — suitable heart drugs, etc.

The driver should remember that caring for his health and well-being depends only upon him. Medicines that are taken constantly should be brought in excess (especially when traveling to another country), as they may not be sold abroad at all.

In addition, even the healthiest person sometimes feels sick in transport, especially if you cross the water surface on a ferry. Therefore, it is better to have pills for motion sickness in your car.

Whenever you purchase drugs at the pharmacy you need to review them to clarify the expiration date. If it expires already in this current year, it is better to abandon the purchase and visit another pharmacy.

It happens that crossing the time zones causes natural biological stress, and travelers lose their immunity. Infections of the herpes type can become aggravated, and it is worthwhile to purchase immunomodulating drugs in advance and start to take them few days before the journey.

While on a trip anything can happen; your body can give an inadequate response even to the unusual local water. Consequently, pills for diarrhea, dysbacteriosis and poisoning should always be at hand (the most well-known activated carbon, smecta, bifidumbacterin, etc.).

Auto tourists often catch a cold. Therefore, pastilles from pain in the throat, syrups for cough and antipyretic will be useful. However, listed above as well as pain medication should not be unusual. It is better to avoid pills which you have never taken before.

Special means of maintaining health on the road

As a rule during long rides, the eyes and the spine get tired most of all. The eyes are constantly tense as the driver concentrates on the traffic situation and constantly has to peer into the changing landscape around. The locomotor apparatus without motion becomes numb. The weakest part is the back (the spine), but the knees, shoulders and cervical spine may suffer too. Therefore, with regular stops, you should close your eyes, sit back, relax for a few minutes. It is even better if there is an opportunity to do a warm-up outside or a self-massage. In case of serious problems with the back an orthopedic corset will help out. However, it cannot be worn continuously for many hours in a row, as it squeezes the internal organs.

If the driver has problems with veins of the lower limbs (which happens quite often, because the stagnant posture causes the blood to stagnate), it is necessary to have elastic bandages or special leg-supporting stockings. They are inexpensive and you can buy them at any drugstore.

When traveling in a car in summer, especially in areas with dry air, you must remember about the danger of dehydration. It sneaks up unnoticed, and a person at any moment can lose consciousness right behind the wheel. There should always be a sufficient supply of drinking water, better if it’s mineral water, and a couple of sips should be taken every 10-15 minutes during driving.

In any case, if you are healthy or not, you need to have a medical insurance during long trips.

Thank you for reading, and don’t forget to take an international driving license to the trip abroad. It will reduce your concerns, which are high enough during long trips. Driving your way across the world confidently will help you to concentrate on more important things, like the health of your family and yourself.