Band-Aid or Band-Aid? Stomach-strengthening tablets or digestion-promoting tablets? Be careful not to buy the wrong ones!

Review expert: Wang Xuejiang, professor at Capital Medical University

Band-Aid or Band-Aid? Stomachic tablets or digestive tablets? We often come into contact with these items in our daily lives, but it is still easy to confuse them. Today, let's take a look at the differences between them!

When buying Band-Aids, have you ever noticed why the same-shaped adhesive strips are called Band-Aids in some cases and Band-Aids in others? Is it because the foreign language has different accents when translated, or is it because of different personal habits?

Neither! Although there is only one letter difference between Band-Aid and Band-Aid, and they look the same in appearance, there are actually differences between these two types of products in terms of ingredients, efficacy and properties.

In terms of ingredients and efficacy , Band-Aids generally contain drugs, while Band-Aids do not. For example, the Yunnan Baiyao Band-Aids and Benzalkonium Chloride Band-Aids that everyone is familiar with both contain drug ingredients, which can stop bleeding, reduce inflammation and other therapeutic effects. Band-Aids do not contain drugs, and they are more likely to stop bleeding and cover wounds through physical compression.

From the perspective of properties , Band-Aids containing medicines are medicines, and their outer packaging will be marked with "National Medicine Approval Number"; while Band-Aids are medical devices, and a batch number with the word "device" can also be found on the outer shell.

Image source: West China Hospital, Sichuan University

Therefore, if there is a small wound, you can use a Band-Aid, and the medicine will make the wound heal faster; if you just want to physically isolate and protect the skin, such as when your shoes rub your feet, you can use a Band-Aid. The outer packaging or instructions of the Band-Aid containing medicine will indicate the prohibited groups of people, so everyone must pay attention. In addition, some people are allergic to the drug ingredients in the Band-Aid. If the wound is uncomfortable when using the Band-Aid containing medicine, it is also recommended to stop using it immediately.

Not applicable to all wounds!

Band-Aids are suitable for injuries with neat, clean, superficial incisions, small wounds and no need for sutures.

The following wounds cannot be treated with Band-Aids:

1. Do not use Band-Aids on large, deep wounds or those with foreign matter. Band-Aids are only suitable for small wounds. If the wound is large, you should go to the hospital for debridement in time.

2. Do not use Band-Aids on contaminated or infected wounds. For example, you cannot use Band-Aids on skin abrasions, burns, etc. in a dirty environment.

3. Scratched by rusty objects. If a band-aid is applied to such wounds, an anaerobic environment may be formed, which is prone to infection. You should go to the hospital in time to get a tetanus antitoxin injection and treat the wound at the same time.

4. Do not apply to wounds with folliculitis, furuncle, purulent infection and various skin diseases.

5. Wounds caused by dog ​​bites, cat scratches, snake bites, poisonous insect stings or bites, etc. should not be bandaged. Applying Band-Aids/Band-Aids may cause venom and bacteria to accumulate or spread in the wound.

Eating too much will always cause indigestion. Most people need to digest food after eating too much. When going to the pharmacy to buy medicine, people often look for the word "digestive medicine". But the same digestive medicine, some are called "jianwei xiaoshi tablets", and some are called "xiaoshi jianwei tablets". Are they the same medicine?

In fact, even though the names are just swapped in order, there are differences between the two in terms of drug ingredients and efficacy!

Image source: Luntai County People's Hospital

Although both "digestive" drugs have the effect of strengthening the spleen, digesting food and eliminating accumulation, they have different emphases.

Jianweixiaoshi tablets mainly focus on strengthening the stomach, while also having the function of digesting food. They are stomach-strengthening and digesting, and have a mild medicinal property.

Xiaoshi Jianwei tablets are mainly used to help digest food, but their ability to strengthen the spleen and stomach is relatively poor. They are more suitable for occasional abdominal discomfort caused by food stagnation. They are not recommended as the first choice of medicine for food stagnation caused by weak spleen and stomach.

If your spleen and stomach function well on a daily basis, but you suffer from indigestion and stomach bloating due to an excessive diet, you can give priority to digestive and stomachic tablets and take them occasionally.

If your spleen and stomach function is not very good, and you are prone to bloating, indigestion, diarrhea and loose stools due to a slightly improper diet, it is recommended that you choose Jianwei Xiaoshi Tablets. In addition, for people with poor spleen and stomach function, you can choose Jianwei Xiaoshi Tablets to regulate the spleen and stomach function and take appropriate courses of medication.

Medicine and food have the same origin. Food, like medicine, also has warm or cold properties. People with weak spleen and stomach need to pay more attention to their daily diet.

It seems that Chinese character culture is really profound! Now that you know the difference between them, you can buy what you need when you go to the pharmacy next time!