What medical bits to carry

[Covey]

A pilgrim needs to carry some medical bits and pieces, but not so that you look like a mobile field hospital!
Virtually all large villages and above will have a pharmacy, and they are well used to the requirements of the pilgrim. Most things you need are fairly cheap but bits like elasticized knee bandages can be a little expensive (€50!)

The pilgrims best friend is Ibuprofen which all the Spanish pharmacies sell in industrial strength tablets of 600mg and in boxes of 48 (€2). In the UK you can only buy 200mg tablets so just be aware that you should not take more than one tablet of 600mg every 8 hours. Ibuprofen is a muscle relaxant and many pilgrims take one just before they go to bed (sic!). However be aware that medicine is OK to deal with symptoms, but can also mask pain which is your bodies way of telling you it has had enough for the day.

You need some form of anti diarrhoea tablets (Imodium) as trying to walk whilst stricken with unruly insides is most unpleasant and Spain is not blessed with public toilets every 200m!! (make sure you carry your own loo roll!!!)

Always check that the public water fountain you are contemplating is marked as potable. Best to stick to bottled water if you can, and always use a little of your precious water to wash any fruit you buy or pick along the way. Beware of grapes growing on the vine. They are often covered in pesticide spray (not nice) or copper sulphate (not much better).

Carry Compeed. Compeed is a brilliant blister plaster sold in various sizes in green plastic containers. There are those who will tell you that Compeed is the devils work, and that the needle and thread is the only answer. Believe me, Compeed works! but you need to apply it properly for it to work properly. Basically it is a waterproof plaster with an antiseptic gel patch in the middle. Having pricked the blister with a sterile needle, drain out all the fluid and make sure the area around the blister is clean and dry. DO NOT APPLY ANY ANTISEPTIC CREAM!! Then apply the Compeed having warmed it a little between your hands. The gel absorbs any more fluid the blister discharges and swells up thus providing a cushion between the blister and sock. Leave the Compeed on until it drops off of its own accord. DO NOT PULL IT OFF as that will remove a larger area of skin than the blister and your problem has just got bigger.

A small pair of scissors, some waterproof plasters and some surgical wipes (they come in little square packets and smell of surgical spirits, which is exactly what they are.)

Keep all your bits in a small waterproof box at the bottom of your rucksack.