You most likely will never have a minor health emergency like the flu or God-forbid diarrhea. But my motto is always: "It's always better to be proactive versus reactive." With that in mind, here are a few items to tuck into your suitcase. I have also included the Italian word and pronunciation for each item in case you need to ask for it at the pharmacy.
First Aid kit / kit di pronto soccorso (kee-teh dee pronto soak-course-o)
Travel-size first aid kits are the best. They pack in a lot of items in a small amount of space like this one I bought on Amazon. It is just a little bigger than the size of my hand and the nylon pouch is waterproof.
If you are looking to save money, grab a zip-lock and create your own first aid kit.
Thermometer / termometro (ter·mò·me·tro)
Since the pandemic, it is always a good idea to carry a thermometer with you. There is nothing worse than guessing if you or a younger loved one has a temperature. The good news is these NexTemp Single-Use Thermometers easily fit in your first aid kit. And you don't have to worry about the mercury tip breaking in your luggage.
Cold and Flu medications / farmaci per il raffreddore e l'influenza (far-ma-chee pear eel raf-fred-door-ay e lin-flu-enza)
I always opt for items that prevent e from getting sick. For example, if I feel a sore throat coming on, I take a Cold-Eeze or an Airborne gummy and a throat lozenge. But you can kill two birds with one stone and save space by trying these Cold-Eeze Throat Lozenges.
Diarrhea medications / farmaci per la diarrea (far-ma-chee pear la diarrhea)
What could be worse, right? Having to go to a pharmacy in Italy and asking for this might be worse (IMO). Sometimes, you just need your body to catch up with your stomach. On those days you need a little something to help. To save on space in my carry-on, I only take one of the two sleeves in the Imodium A-D box from Amazon.
Mosquito repellant / repellente per zanzare (re·pel·lèn·te pear ẓan·ẓà·raay)
I just love this all-natural mosquito repellant made by Wild Weed Organic. This balm keeps chiggers, ticks, and no-see-ums away as well as mosquitos. Great if you have hiking on your Italy agenda. The solid stick form is air travel ready so you don't have to worry about carry-on liquids. And you know I love supporting family-owned businesses.
Anti-itch cream / crema antiprurito (cray-ma aunti-prure-reet-o)
Just in case a pesky mosquito found a way around your repellant, make sure to bring along some anti-itch cream. Cortizone-10 is my go-to cream for my travel days. Look for the .5-ounce travel size at Walgreens and Target - usually in the sample/travel size section.
Allergy medications / farmaci per l'allergia (far·ma·che pear al·ler·gì·a)
The good news about allergy medications is that they are in solid form so they don't take up valuable space in your quart-size liquid bag. Just pack a sleeve of your favorite in case your allergies flare up while abroad.
Pain relief cream / Crema antidolorifica (cray-ma anti-doe-lo-reef-ee-cah)
My mother introduced me to Voltaren when she traveled to Italy with a bad knee. It is great for relief from minor aches and pains. Pack a small size for sore legs after a full day of walking or just in case of joint pain.
Now that I have given you a few things I include in my emergency health travel kit, it's time for you to create your own. Or maybe you already travel with an emergency kit.
I would love to hear what you include in your kit. Post in the comment section below.