Top 8 Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medicines I Always Keep at Home
My personal list of useful OTC medicines that may save you a trip to the ER
Sometimes, I feel bad for my patients who come to the ER for a minor complaint. After waiting 4-6 hours, I often end up recommending something they could have easily picked up over the counter (OTC). I wish I could have saved them hours of waiting. If only I could have preemptively shared my list of the top 8 OTC meds I keep at home. I think everyone probably has their own favorite list based on their own personal experiences. I always think about my grandmother’s list: toothpaste for that bug bite to make it stop itching (methol and baking soda helped stop the itch), cloves to make that tooth stop aching (clove oil is a natural anesthetic).
I was curious if my list of favorite OTC medicines was in line with others. So, I crowdsourced a group of ER doctors. I asked, “What OTC meds do you wish your patients used prior to coming to the ED?” My poll yielded over 350 votes. Take a look.
This list was similar to my own personal list. But I decided to add both medicines and ‘tools’ to my list. At first glance, my list seems so obvious and simple. Is this all I really need? Maybe. Maybe not. Sometimes I am surprised that patients don’t at least try out these simple remedies before presenting to the ER for a minor complaint. Many times, it will work and prevent you from coming to the ER completely. And just a quick disclaimer, this list is one I use for myself and my family for minor complaints; it’s not medical advice:)
Before we get to the list, let me share a few quotes that I think capture the theme of today’s post.
The chief function of medicine is to entertain patients until they heal themselves. Hippocrates
The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease. Voltaire
Top 8 OTC Meds/Tools I keep at home
1. Pain Medications
Good ol’ ibuprofen (Motrin) and acetaminophen (Tylenol) are the main medicines I use at home. Although the prescription strength tablet of ibuprofen is 800 mg tablets, I prefer the OTC 200 mg tablet. When I have a little pain, I take 400 mg. When I have a lot of pain, I take 800 mg. Both ibuprofen and acetaminophen work for headaches, backaches, muscle aches, and fevers.
Sometimes, I need to take both medications. For example, suppose I have a headache. I take 600 mg of ibuprofen. If I continue to have pain, I take acetaminophen a couple of hours later. If I still have pain, I go back to ibuprofen a few hours later. Alternating medications for fever or pain control really works. Here’s a quick schematic from my book, Diagnosketch, that I explain regularly to my patients (page 108).
2. Constipation medications
Sometimes, patients come to the ER with abdominal pain. After running blood tests, urine tests, and CT scans, I often find that they are just constipated. Of course, all abdominal pain is not caused by constipation. But I think it’s at least worth thinking about the last time you had a bowel movement. I think polyethylene glycol works well. Just mix the powder with some juice, microwave it to help it dissolve, and drink up.
One thing I want to mention is that there is no quick fix for constipation. Remember, there’s a lot of space for stool in the large intestine, so it may take some time to empty it all out. I recommend using the medication before you get constipated to keep things moving along. Here’s a quick refresher to remind you just how long your large intestine is (page 51 from Diagnosketch).
3. Vaseline
My kids know my motto, “Vaseline cures all,” because they have heard me saying it since they were small. I rub this on rashes, dry skin, cracked feet, itchy skin. It’s a great moisturizer. I even tell my patients who have frequent nosebleeds to keep a little at the base of their noses to help trap moisture in their noses during the winter.
4. Allergy medications
For most itchy rashes or other allergic reactions, diphenhydramine is the medication. It’s an antihistamine that will make you stop itching. I am always happy when patients try this medicine at home; many times their symptoms have already improved by the time they see me. For seasonal allergies, I like loratadine.
5. Heating pad
When I was small, I vividly recall my grandmother boiling a pot of water before bed to fill up her rubber water bottle for her sore back. This electric heating pad is so much easier for sore backs and sprained muscles.
6. Antacid medications
For the past 20+ years, I have worked the night shift exclusively. I frequently see people who come in with acid reflux that wakes them up in the middle of the night. Maalox helps neutralize the acid while antacid medications either bind to or decrease the amount of acid your stomach makes.
7. Immobilizers: ace wraps and splints
When you have pain, the main thing is do is immobilize it. So, use an ace wrap or a splint. The photo on the right is my actual collection of splints: wrist splints, thumb splints, knee splints. Yes, I have quite the collection; I keep them handy for those aches and pains.
8. Travel keeper
One of the more annoying things that can happen is that you are out and about and develop some sort of pain (ie a headache, a backache). You feel miserable. If only you had your home meds with you, you’d be golden. Introducing the travel keeper for your meds. Just put them in your purse or bag. Personally, 6 of the 8 compartments on mine are filled with ibuprofen and acetaminophen because I use them so often.
That’s it. That’s my list. It seems so simple probably because it is. There is nothing fancy here, just inexpensive meds and gadgets that actually work for minor complaints. Another one of my many mottos is that sometimes the simplest solutions work best for complex problems.
I’m curious about what medicines you keep at home. Are they the same as my list? Or do you have others to add? What’s on your list?
Thanks for reading this far, my friends. Hope to see you next month!