Every hiker's first aid kit will have various painkillers like Aspirin, Tylenol and Ibuprofen in it. Here's what to keep in your kit and when to use them.

Note - Consult your doctor before you stock and use your first aid kit. With all medications there are contraindications you will need to know before self-prescribing. You might have allergies to something listed below. I am including medications that are over-the-counter and commonly included in first aid kits, but I am not a doctor!

Ibuprofen
This little med is so invaluable we hikers call it "Vitamin I". As a painkiller, it relieves the tension and inflammation of muscle soreness, whether from bruising or overuse (as in strains). Ibuprofen also helps with headaches, menstral cramps (Motrin is Ibuprofen), toothaches, minor burns, backache, and certain symptoms of the common cold.

As an anti-inflammatory, Ibuprofen is the best med you can get without a prescription.

Make sure you are well hydrated if you are taking Ibuprofen, as overuse is damaging to your kidney fuctions. It's best to take Ibuprofen with food.

Acetaminofen
This is a pain and fever reducer, and is also known as Tylenol. While there is no anti-inflammatory effect, it's a great headache reducer.

Aspirin
Some people just prefer good old aspirin for their headaches.

Benadryl
This antihistamine is important to keep around in the wilderness to help control allergic reations to insect bites and stings, as well as reactions to poison ivy/oak.

Benadryl also helps dry up from hay fevers, pollen alergies and runny nose type cold symptoms.

Take note that Benadryl also induces drowsiness, and use accordingly. Make sure you read the package for contraindications before taking, or consult a doctor before you head off for the woods!

Tums
I like to keep this on hand, since a stomachache can ruin an otherwise wonderful evening around the campfire. Plus, Tums has extra calcium, which serves as mineral supplement. It can go well with the outdoors, since the body needs Vitamin D to process calcium...and you can get enough Vitamin D from 15 minutes of sunlight.

How To Learn More
Reading a book about wilderness first aid is a great way to get started on being self-sufficient on your outings. If you are interested in wilderness medicine, you could also sign up for a course in becoming a certified Wilderness First Responder. That is a ten-day course, but you learn things you would never pick up anywhere else, unless you are already a medical professional.

A really starter good book on backcountry medical information is the Wilderness and Travel Medicine guide by Eric A. Weiss, an MD. The book is small enough to stuff in your pack and covers a lot of ground that is useful both in the field or when traveling to other countries.

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