A well-organized medicine cabinet will save you time and money, make your home safer, and eliminate minor frustrations, like searching for a bandage while preparing lunch.
What are the best ways to store and take medication? Where should medication be stored at home? Is it appropriate to store medication in the kitchen or bathroom? In this video—which aired on Al Jazeera's program this morning—we learn some guidelines for handling medication.
First, medications may be stored at room temperature, and then labeled "store below 25°C."
Or store medications in the refrigerator, labeled "2 to 8 degrees Celsius." In this case, place the medication in the refrigerator door, as this is the ideal location where the temperature is between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius.
Therefore, it is a common mistake to store medications in the kitchen or bathroom. The kitchen is hot and humid, and the bathroom is humid due to water vapor, which may affect the medication.
A common mistake with liquid medications is using household or kitchen spoons to administer the medication. The problem here is that spoons vary from one household to another, so you should use a graduated scale or the special spoon included with the medication package.
The best place to store medications at home is in the bedroom, in a drawer or high cabinet out of reach of children. It is preferable for every home to have a dedicated medicine cabinet.
Start organizing
Start by making a list of what you think is essential in your medicine cabinet, based on what's left after cleaning, and purchase those items the next time you shop. You may also find it helpful to have a small, erasable clipboard or writing pad on the inside of your door to note what's running low and what needs replacing in the future. You can also use chalkboard paint on the inside of your door for a permanent bulletin board.
Use containers for small items.
Use storage containers for small items like cotton balls, bandages, and more. Keep them from wandering freely in and out of the cabinet. Cups are ideal for storing tubes that take up a lot of space. Small baskets or shelves can also be used to keep painkillers, antiseptics, vitamins, tweezers, scissors, tape, and bandages safe. Label each shelf for easy access. Write on the bottom of bottles and tubes the date you purchased or opened the product, and be sure to discard any items that have been open for a long time. Products like eye drops have a short shelf life after opening, where they can harbor bacteria.
Always check expiration dates.
Check expiration dates regularly and discard anything that is old or damaged. If the expiration date is written in a month, it refers to the end of that month.
Place products at eye level for easy identification.
Store frequently needed items at eye level, and less frequently needed items on lower or higher shelves. If you need to have dangerous medications in your medicine cabinet, make sure they are kept out of reach of children, placed on the highest shelf possible, and used a lock on the cabinet if possible.
Get rid of medications you don't need.
Expired and unused medications should always be disposed of properly. Do not flush them down the toilet or sink, as this can harm the environment and contaminate waterways. Disposing of some medications in regular household waste can also pose risks to animals, wildlife, and even children, as well as potentially contaminating landfill sites. If you are unsure whether a particular medication should be disposed of in the waste stream, consult your pharmacist.
Take everything out
Have you ever gone to your medicine cabinet, looked at some pills and medications, and thought, “Maybe they’re doing you a trick” or “You don’t remember what they were doing”?
Have you ever had a cotton bud stuck in your ear?
Everyone has a medicine cabinet, but everything in it may not necessarily improve your health. Like the humble cotton bud, which may be found elsewhere, of course.
Now, here is an example of something that is often used for a purpose it was not intended for.
A seemingly harmless cotton swab is great for applying or removing makeup, doing and painting your nails, and doing odd jobs around the house, but not for removing earwax. Earwax isn't your enemy. It's actually part of your ear's natural defense system, and by pushing a cotton swab in, you could either simply remove something you don't want, or push it in too deep and cause a blockage or perforation of the eardrum.
Do as your grandmother always says: “The only thing you put in your ear is your elbow.”
Of course, there's always a risk in using anything in your medicine cabinet that wasn't prescribed for you. For example, antihistamine pills may be effective for some people, but for others, they can affect sleep, appetite, and libido, and cause constipation and vomiting.
You may be on medication for a heart condition, but you have a headache. A couple of aspirin can't hurt that turn, right?
In fact, they can. Anyone taking heart medications, especially blood thinners, needs to know that aspirin can cause stomach bleeding. Anti-inflammatories can have the same effect, if overused.
Chewable antacids may seem harmless enough, but for some people, they can cause cramps, headaches, chest tightness, or fever. It's best to talk to a doctor before taking them or if you experience any symptoms after taking them.
Some things seem harmless, like nutritional supplements or vitamin pills. But the truth is, overconsumption—especially of vitamins A, D, E, and K—can affect your health.
For example, taking too much preformed vitamin A from supplements can cause dizziness, nausea, headaches, and worse.
Some of you may have pills and creams at the back of your medicine cabinet that you bought years ago. Check the expiration dates, and if you're not absolutely sure they're still safe to use, throw them away.
If you are disposing of any medications, do not throw them in a trash can where a person or animal might find them. Wrap and pack them first.
WebMD also provides information on the following materials:
- Mouthwash. It can upset your stomach or make you nauseous. You may even vomit if you swallow too much.
- Antibacterial soap. These chemicals are supposed to kill bacteria, but they may actually make bacteria stronger and more difficult for antibiotics to kill.
- St. John's wort. This herb, taken with antidepressants, can lower your body temperature and cause shivering, diarrhea, confusion, and muscle stiffness. It may also interfere with certain medications.
- Used to treat heart problems and high cholesterol.
- Weight loss supplements. Do not trust anything that "guarantees" rapid weight loss or claims to be an "herbal alternative."
When was the last time you cleaned out your medicine cabinet? Do you always dispose of unused medications safely?
