Tips from a doctor on stocking your medicine cabinet

CLEVELAND, OH (CLEVELAND CLINIC) - We keep all sorts of things in our medicine cabinets, but what's really essential to have on hand?

Doctors say adhesive bandages are a must, but if they're always falling off, you may want to try the liquid kind. It's also a good idea to have some type of pain reliever in your medicine chest. And if you're prone to achy muscles, pain-relieving patches may be useful. Antacids can come in handy for the occasional bout with heartburn, upset stomach, or diarrhea. For itchy insect bites, hydrocortisone cream may provide relief. And speaking of itch, people who suffer from allergies will want to stock up on some antihistamines.

"Those are great to have around if you have the seasonal allergies, or right as you're starting to develop a respiratory infection and you have that runny nose or the sneezing, or the itchy, watery eyes," said Dr. Neha Vyas, Cleveland Clinic.

And also checking your medicine cabinet every six months to toss and replace expired items is a good idea.

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