HEALTH

"Low standards of public hygiene, stress and overcrowded conditions are to blame for most of the health problems that beset travellers in China. If you do get ill, medical facilities, at least in the big cities, are adequate, and the largest cities have high-standard international clinics for foreigners. For minor complaints, every town has a pharmacy which can suggest remedies, and doctors who can treat you with traditional Chinese or Western techniques. You'll need to take a phrasebook or a Chinese speaker if you don't speak Chinese
Before you go
It's advisable to visit a doctor as early as possible before you travel to allow time to complete any courses of vaccinations you need. If you have any longstanding medical conditions, or are travelling with small children, consult your doctor and take...

Medical resources for travellers
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General precautions
There's no point in being over concerned with your health while travelling in China, but it's sensible to be aware of the dangers and take sensible precautions. China is not an easy country to be in, and some visitors, particularly if they are travelling...

Intestinal troubles
Diarrhoea is the most common illness to affect travellers, usually in a mild form while your stomach gets used to the unfamiliar food. Rest and rehydration is the only treatment required, and it will probably be over in a couple of days. The sudden...

Malaria
Malaria is not widespread in China; it's only a problem in the south in summer and all year round in tropical areas such as Hainan Island. Even there it's not common, but you should still take precautions. The key measure is to avoid being bitten by...

Respiratory infections
The biggest hazard to your health in China is the host of flu infections that strike down a large proportion of the population, mostly in the winter months. The problem is compounded by the overcrowded conditions, chain-smoking, pollution and...

AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases
It is doubtful that China was ever as strictly moral as the government suggests, a place where prostitution didn't exist and sexually transmitted diseases were a foreign problem, but it's certainly not true now. In the contemporary, more...

Environmental hazards
Parts of China are tropical and here it can require a couple of weeks to acclimatize to the temperature and humidity, during which time you may feel listless and tire easily. Don't underestimate the strength of the sun in tropical areas such as Hainan...

Getting medical help
Pharmacies , found in all towns, can help with minor injuries or ailments. Larger ones sometimes have a separate counter offering diagnosis and advice, though you're very unlikely to find staff who can speak anything but Chinese. The selection of¡­"