How Medicines to Keep at Home

Note:

You can buy the following, without a prescription, from pharmacies:

Paracetamol

Paracetamol eases pain. It also reduces high temperature (fever). It comes in tablet form for adults and older children, and as a liquid for young children and babies. You can also obtain soluble tablets and melt-in-the-mouth tablets. If you have young children, paracetamol is perhaps the most important medicine to keep in at all times. Paracetamol is safe at normal doses  but is harmful if you take too much (overdose). Therefore, it is extremely important to check the right dose for the person taking paracetamol. Be careful not to exceed the maximum amount recommended on the packet.

Anti-inflammatory painkillers

These are painkillers which also reduce inflammation. Most need a prescription  but you can buy ibuprofen from pharmacies and supermarkets. This is helpful for muscular aches and sprains and can be used to relieve period pain. Like paracetamol, ibuprofen also reduces a fever. Ibuprofen also comes in tablet, soluble tablet, melt-in-the-mouth and liquid forms. There are many brands of ibuprofen. The dose advised varies with age.

Anti-inflammatory painkillers should not be used by certain people - for example, if you have, or have had, a stomach or duodenal ulcer. These painkillers should be taken with food if possible, because they can cause irritation if taken on an empty stomach. If you develop stomach pain or heartburn after taking ibuprofen tablets, you should stop them. They may interact with some prescribed medication, so check with your pharmacist if you are not sure whether you should take them.

Ibuprofen and some other anti-inflammatory painkillers are also available as a gel or foam. These can be rubbed directly into the painful area. They are used for painful joints if you have rheumatoid arthritis or degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis). They can also be used for sprains and muscle injuries.

Antacids

These help to ease indigestion and heartburn. They work by neutralizing the acid content of the stomach. You can also buy more powerful medicines which reduce acid in the stomach.

If you need to use antacids on a regular basis, you should see your doctor to discuss this.

Hydrocortisone cream

Hydrocortisone cream is a mild steroid cream. Steroids reduce inflammation. Hydrocortisone can be bought in pharmacies, to treat inflammation of the skin (dermatitis), insect stings and eczema. Hydrocortisone cream should not be used on the face unless prescribed by your doctor specifically for use on the face.

If you have itching or dryness of the skin, it may just need some emollient cream such as E45®. It is useful to soothe dry or itchy skin.

Antiseptic cream

It is useful to have an antiseptic cream at home. If you use this on minor scrapes, cuts and bites, they are less likely to become infected.

Other useful items

If anyone in your family is prone to mouth soreness or mouth ulcers, it is a good idea to keep something to help with that, such as Bonilla®.

It is worth keeping a variety of plasters at home in case of minor cuts and grazes. Use hypoallergenic ones if anyone in your house gets a rash with plasters.

You  should attend your local Accident and Emergency Department. Continue to press on the cut until you get there, to limit the bleeding.

A pair of tweezers may be handy for extracting splinters.

Further advice

Your pharmacist is the best source of advice and information on medicines which can be bought over the counter.

See your doctor if you are needing to take any of these medicines on a regular basis. This is to check there is no underlying cause for your problem.