Must-have medications to live in China!

As an expat living in China, getting sick can get you in real trouble. If it’s really bad (hope not, wish you all well), you can always take a day off and visit the hospital. After all, Shanghai, as a big city, does provide plenty of international or local hospitals that have English services. See below.

What really piss you off is those minor illnesses like cold, fever, stomachache……

For Chinese, these illnesses are simply a matter of going to the pharmacy to get some medications, not worth a trip to the hospital at all. However, buying medications is not a simple thing for expats. Below, we will introduce you to some common medications in China. Hope this will be a big helper for you.

Notices:

* Following medications are available at the pharmacy.

* If your symptoms are serious enough, go to the hospital.

* All information presented in the article is for reference only. For professional medical advice, consult your physician.

Reduce pains and fever

Recommended:

1. Paracetamol Tablets (对乙酰氨基酚片)

2. Ibuprofen (布洛芬)

Diseases of adaptation:

For fever caused by common cold or influenza; for pain such as headache, joint pain, migraine, toothache, muscle pain, neuralgia, and dysmenorrhea.

Stuffy nose

Recommended:

Physiological seawater nasal spray (生理性海水鼻腔喷雾剂)

Diseases of adaptation:

Suitable for infants, children, and adults for the daily cleaning of the nasal cavity. It can provide protection for nasal mucosa against allergens, dry air, pollutants.

Allergy treatment

Recommended:

Cetirizine Hydrochloride (盐酸西替利嗪)

Diseases of adaptation:

For respiratory, skin and eye allergies.

Wound sterilization

Recommended:

IodoPhors (碘伏)

Diseases of adaptation:

Used for disinfection of burns, frostbite, knife wounds, bruises, contusions, and other general injuries.

* It can only be sterilized, not to treat bacterial infections.

* If the wound doesn't stop bleeding, put a band-aid on it.

* It has a short shelf life.

Bacterial skin infection

Recommended:

Mupirocin Ointment (莫匹罗星软膏 / 百多邦)

Diseases of adaptation:

It is suitable for a skin infection caused by gram-positive coccus.

Mosquito bites and heat rash

Recommended:

Calamine lotion (炉甘石洗剂)

Diseases of adaptation:

For acute itchy skin diseases, such as eczema and heat rash.

Diarrhea

Recommended:

Smectite powder (蒙脱石散)

Diseases of adaptation:

For adults and children with acute and chronic diarrhea.

Constipation

Recommended:

Lactulose (乳果糖)

Diseases of adaptation:

Let the feces drain smoothly by increasing the moisture content of the feces.

Mouth ulcer

Recommended:

Watermelon frost (西瓜霜)

Diseases of adaptation:

Clear heat and relieve the pain of your oral cavity.

Cold

Recommended:

1. 999 (999感冒灵)

2. White & Black(白加黑)

Diseases of adaptation:

For headache, fever, stuffy nose, runny nose, sore throat and other symptoms caused by cold.

You don't have to buy the medications personally if you don't want to! Here are some apps that allow you to buy them with just your phone:

叮当快药

Eleme

Eleme also provides medication delivery service. Click on the "送药上门" (Medication delivery) to enter the order page.

What we mentioned above are just for some minor illnesses. If you're really sick and it's getting worse, go to the hospital immediately! Below are some international hospitals or local ones in Shanghai which provide English services. Save it just in case!

Scroll down to see more

1

Jiahui Health

Jiahui International Hospital is the first foreign-funded tertiary general hospital in China. Located in downtown Shanghai's Xuhui District, the hospital opened to the public in October 2017. Since then, it has continued to broaden its provision of general and specialized healthcare services, including 24/7 emergency care, obstetrics and gynecology, family medicine, surgery, pediatrics, dentistry, and a cancer center fully compliant with international standards, among others.

Website:www.jiahui.com/en

Phone: [phone] (24 hours)

Address:

1. JIAHUI INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL

Hours: Mon - Sun, 24 hours

Address: 689 Guiping Rd, Xuhui Dist

2. JIAHUI HEALTH (JING'AN)

Hours: Mon - Sat, 9 am - 6 pm

Address: Suite 101, 88 Changshu Rd

3. JIAHUI HEALTH (YANGPU)

Hours: Mon - Sat, 9 am - 6 pm

Address: 1F/2F, Suite 3, 99 Jiangwancheng Rd

2

United Family Healthcare

UFH is a pioneering, international-standard healthcare organization in China, whose mission is to provide comprehensive, integrated healthcare services in a uniquely warm and caring patient and family service-oriented environment.

Website: 

Phone: [phone]

Address:

1. Shanghai United Family Hospital

1139 Xianxia Rd, Changning Dist

2. Shanghai United Family Pudong Hospital

No 1598, New Jinqiao Rd, Pudong New Dist

3. United Family Fengshang Clinic

No 689 Yunle Rd, Huacao Town, Minhang Dist

3

Huashan Hospital

Founded in 1907, Huashan Hospital is a Triple A teaching hospital affiliated to Fudan University under the leadership of Ministry of Health. It is renowned for its internationalized medical education and research center.

Website:sh-hwmc.com.cn

Phone: [phone]

Address: No 12, Wulumuqi Zhong Rd

4

Zhongshan Hospital

Zhongshan Hospital is a top-rated hospital (Grade 3, Class A) associated with Fudan University and has been around in Shanghai (around different names and ownership) since 1937. The hospital's focuses are on heart, liver cancer, kidney and lung disease diagnosis and treatment.

Website: https://bit.ly/31YH6NX

Phone: [phone]

Address: No 180, Fenglin Rd, Xuhui Dist

5

Renai Hospital

Shanghai Renai Hospital (a Medicare designated hospital) was established in September 2001. It is a modern general hospital based in Shanghai. Renai hospital is influential throughout the East China region and enjoys a high reputation in Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta region.

Website:

Phone: [phone]

Address: No 127, Caoxi Rd

If you have any other questions or don't know how to use a particular medication, feel free to contact AnyHelper!

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