What local medicines are useful for travelers in China?

What local remedies are useful for travelers in China?

In China’s major cities, pharmacies, convenience stores, hospitals, and delivery platforms are generally easy to access. However, for first-time foreign visitors, medicine names, Chinese packaging, pharmacy staff who may not speak English, and unfamiliarity with translation apps can still create difficulties.

For this reason, many foreign travelers prefer to prepare some basic common medicines before coming to China. If you do not have enough time, or if you do not have the medicines you are familiar with, here are some common medicines you may find in China:

1. Cold, fever, and cough medicine

Long flights, air conditioning, weather changes, and travel fatigue may lead to mild colds, sore throats, low fever, or coughing.

Below are some common medicine types that travelers may see in China:

Paracetamol / Acetaminophen（对乙酰氨基酚片）.
Common use: For adults and children over 12 years old, it is often taken 1 tablet at a time. If fever or pain continues, it may be repeated every 4–6 hours, with no more than 4 doses in 24 hours.
Price: Usually around 5–20 RMB.
Important note: Paracetamol is a common fever and pain reliever. Do not combine it casually with other cold medicines that may also contain paracetamol.
Ibuprofen Sustained-Release Capsules（布洛芬缓释胶囊）.
Common use: For adults, it is commonly taken 1 capsule each time, twice daily.
Price: Usually around 10–35 RMB.
Important note: Ibuprofen is a common fever, pain, and anti-inflammatory medicine. People with stomach ulcers, serious liver or kidney problems, aspirin/NSAID allergy, or pregnant travelers should be especially careful and ask a doctor or pharmacist before using it.
Cold & Flu tablets（综合感冒药）—— 999 Gan Mao Ling / 999 感冒灵.
Common use: Usually 1 sachet, about 10g, 3 times daily.
Price: Around 15–30 RMB.
Important note: 999 Gan Mao Ling may contain paracetamol. Avoid taking it together with other fever or pain medicines that also contain paracetamol.
Cough medicine（止咳药）—— Ji Zhi Syrup / 急支糖浆.
Common use: For adults, usually 20–30ml each time, 3–4 times daily.
Price: Around 20–45 RMB.

If you usually rely on a specific brand or medicine in your home country, it is best to bring a small amount with you.

2. Stomach and digestion medicine

China has many wonderful foods, but first-time visitors may still experience stomach discomfort due to spicy food, oily meals, cold drinks, or changes in diet and water.

Below are some common options travelers may see for diarrhea or stomach discomfort:

Anti-diarrhea medicine（止泻药）—— Montmorillonite Powder / 蒙脱石散.
Common use: For adults, usually 1 sachet, about 3g, 3 times daily. For acute diarrhea, the first dose may sometimes be increased, but travelers should follow the package instructions or ask a pharmacist.
Price: Around 15–35 RMB.
Probiotics（益生菌）—— Bifid Triple Viable Capsules / 双歧杆菌三联活菌胶囊.
Common use: Some brands recommend adults take 2–4 capsules each time, twice daily, about half an hour after meals with warm water. Other brands may recommend 2–3 capsules, 2–3 times daily. Follow the specific product instructions.
Price: Around 35–70 RMB.
Stomach medicine（胃药）—— Omeprazole Enteric-Coated Capsules / 奥美拉唑肠溶胶囊.
Common use: A common strength is 20mg. Adults often take 1 capsule each time, 1–2 times daily. The correct use may depend on the reason, such as acid reflux, stomach pain, or gastritis, so it is best to follow the instructions or ask a pharmacist.
Price: Around 10–35 RMB.

3. Allergy medicine

Pollen, dust, air changes, animals, seafood, or unfamiliar ingredients may cause mild allergic reactions.

Common options include:

Antihistamines（抗过敏药）—— Claritin / 开瑞坦.
Common use: For adults and children over 12 years old, usually 1 tablet, 10mg, once daily.
Price: Around 25–50 RMB.
Allergy tablets（过敏药片）—— Loratadine Tablets / 氯雷他定片.
Common use: For adults and children over 12 years old, usually 1 tablet, 10mg, once daily.
Price: Generic loratadine tablets are usually around 5–20 RMB; imported or branded versions may cost more.
Anti-itch cream（止痒药膏）—— Wu Ji Gao / 无极膏.
Common use: For external use only. Apply to the affected area and surrounding skin 2–3 times daily.
Price: Around 8–20 RMB.
Important note: Do not use it casually on broken, infected, ulcerated, or open wounds.

If you have a history of severe allergies, make sure to carry your own prescribed medication.

4. Motion sickness, flight sickness, and jet lag support

Travel within China may involve high-speed rail, long-distance buses, domestic flights, or mountain roads.

Travelers who are prone to motion sickness may consider preparing:

Motion sickness medicine（晕车药）—— Dimenhydrinate Tablets / 茶苯海明片.
Common use: For adults, usually 1–2 tablets. For prevention of motion sickness, it is often taken about 30 minutes before departure. For treatment, follow the package instructions and do not exceed the daily limit.
Price: Around 5–20 RMB.
Important note: Dimenhydrinate may cause drowsiness. Do not drive or operate dangerous equipment after taking it.
Sleep aid / Melatonin（助眠或褪黑素）—— Melatonin Capsules / 褪黑素胶囊.
Common use: Many supplement products recommend taking 1 capsule before sleep, but the dosage varies greatly by brand. Follow the product label.
Price: Around 30–100 RMB.
Important note: Melatonin is commonly sold in China as a supplement or health product. Do not combine it with alcohol or sedative medicines.

5. Heat and summer discomfort

Summers in China can be hot and humid, especially in southern and inland cities. Some travelers may experience nausea, stomach discomfort, dizziness, or general summer-heat discomfort.

Heat and summer discomfort（中暑、暑湿不适）—— Huoxiang Zhengqi Shui / 藿香正气水.
Common use: Traditionally used in China for summer-heat dampness discomfort, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and indigestion.
How to take: Oral liquid. Usually 1 vial each time; follow the package instructions.
Price: Around 15–20 RMB.
Important note: Many Huoxiang Zhengqi Shui products contain alcohol. Do not take it together with cephalosporin antibiotics or alcohol-sensitive medications, and avoid driving after taking it. Serious heatstroke is an emergency and should not be treated only with this medicine.

5. Long-term prescription medicines

If you regularly take medicines for:

High blood pressure
Diabetes
Asthma
Mental health conditions
Hormonal treatment
Other long-term medical conditions

It is best to:

Bring enough medicine for your whole trip
Keep your prescription or doctor’s note in English
Avoid relying only on buying the same medicine after arriving in China

Medicine names, ingredients, strengths, and purchase rules may differ from country to country.

6. Is it easy to buy medicine in China?

In major Chinese cities, pharmacies are common.

Some well-known pharmacy chains include:

LBX Pharmacy / 老百姓大药房
Dashenlin / 大参林
Yifeng Pharmacy / 益丰大药房
Nepstar / 海王星辰

In many cities, medicine can also be ordered through delivery platforms (App) such as:

Meituan / 美团
JD.com / 京东

However, for foreign travelers, there are still a few practical challenges:

Most medicine packaging is in Chinese
Medicine names may be different from those in your home country
Some medicines may require a prescription or pharmacist guidance

For most travelers, the safest approach is to bring a small amount of familiar basic medicine from home, and use Chinese pharmacies only as a backup or supplement.

Important reminder

Do not bring special medicines into China if you are not sure about the rules.

Be especially careful with:

Medicines containing ephedrine-like ingredients
Strong sedatives
Certain psychiatric prescription medicines
CBD or cannabis-related products

Most small travel health problems can be reduced by preparing in advance. You do not need to carry many medicines. The more important thing is to know what options are available, what the Chinese names look like, and when you should ask a pharmacist or doctor for help.

⚠ For strong sedatives and cannabis-related products, management in China is extremely strict. Carrying them may lead to criminal liability.

Final note

Most of these are OTC (over-the-counter) and can be purchased without a prescription.
Pregnant women and children should consult a doctor before use.
For serious symptoms (persistent fever, jaundice, severe diarrhea), go to a hospital immediately.

⚠ Medical Emergency Number: 120

How to get medicine delivered to your door (OTC drugs)

If you need to buy OTC drugs in China, some OTC medicines can be purchased at a pharmacy only after a short video consultation with a doctor, who may issue an online prescription.
If it is inconvenient for you to visit a pharmacy in person, you may also choose home delivery.

Below are the home delivery methods:

Preparing basic medicine is essential, and in China, obtaining what you need has never been easier. Forget long hospital queues and searching through pharmacy shelves. Here's a straightforward guide to having medications delivered straight to your door.

Take Meituan, a popular e-commerce platform, for example. Just like ordering anything else online, you can purchase medications through the app. Simply download Meituan, then tap the medicine box icon on the home page to enter the online pharmacy and start shopping.

However, the app does not have a full English interface, so translation tools are recommended for assistance.Registration and Login:After downloading the app, you can register using an international phone number (+1, +65, +886, etc.). Most users report successfully receiving SMS verification codes, although some numbers (especially certain European carriers) may not work. It is strongly recommended to complete registration before arriving in China. If you cannot receive the verification code, try logging in with WeChat (highly recommended).

Payment Methods:The app supports binding international credit cards such as Visa and Mastercard. You can also pay via WeChat Pay or Alipay (using cards already linked to them is recommended).

Usage Tips:

The interface is primarily in Chinese. You can check for language options in “Me → Settings” (limited effect)

Note: Meituan’s support for international phone numbers has improved, but it is still not 100% reliable. Many foreigners prefer to use Meituan through the WeChat Mini Program for a smoother experience.

OTC drugs

For over-the-counter drugs, you can type in the name of the medicine and select your product from a local pharmacy. Then click "buy it now" to complete the payment.

Fill in your address, and an estimated delivery time will appear. Then you can submit the order.

Prescription drugs

Compared with OTC drugs, buying prescription medication involves a few extra steps. You first need to select your condition and consult a doctor before obtaining the prescription drug.

After submitting your condition, a practitioner will conduct an online consultation with you and issue a digital prescription. You can then complete the payment using the prescription.