Many Japanese Americans don’t visit the doctor if they have a common cold. Japanese eyes grow when they make comments to other Japanese about this and ask Americans why not. My response, which was that you need seven days to feel better if you take cold medication and one week if not, is met with blank stares. It was significantly cheaper to visit a doctor to get medicine for a cold than to go to a pharmacy to buy over-the-counter cold medicine that was weaker. This was my first time visiting the doctor’s in Japan. Your doctor would take you to the receptionists, who would then give you your medicine.
What is happening
Due to a government push for lower medicine sales, prescriptions could be purchased at pharmacies and not from doctors’ offices. After a while, pharmacies began to sprout up next to doctor’s office like mushrooms. It seemed like prices had risen. Although it may be cheaper to go to a pharmacy to buy cold medicine, people are used to visiting the doctor. While some doctors offer appointments, others do not. It is great to be able to visit the doctor whenever you like, but it is not convenient to spend three hours with the doctor for a quick visit. It is important to plan your visit.
Larger hospitals with specialists draw older patients. The wait can be long if you go in the morning without an appointment or not. You can see a specialist in the afternoon without an appointment. If all goes well, you can pay for your prescription, get your medication at the pharmacy, and be on the way in under an hour. Even though smaller offices see many children, mornings can be busy. However, if there aren’t any colds, the offices may be empty.
Keep in mind
You may experience a long wait if you come in on a busy morning. Doctor’s offices are usually open in the morning, then close for lunch and then reopen in the afternoon. If the doctor’s office gets crowded in the morning, you can usually write your name down for an afternoon slot. You will be seen quickly if the doctor is available early in the afternoon. You can also go early in the morning to get seen quickly. Yes, the office is always open, even if nobody is there. To avoid waiting hours upon hours, be familiar with the system and take action to avoid it.
The number of pharmacies that sell prescription medicine has increased over the years. This is to discourage doctors over prescribing medicine. A small pharmacy that serves patients next door or across street usually has between two to four people at any given time. Although Japanese believe in hand washing to prevent the common cold, there are four main differences: masks and gargling, carrying on their fighting spirit and not burdening other people, and IV (intravenous).
Colds
People with colds will often be seen in Japan wearing surgical masks. Some are wearing masks to protect against the germs that cause colds, while others are suffering from colds and are wearing masks to prevent others from getting their colds. Many people with allergies wear masks to protect their skin from allergens. The masks may be effective or not, and the placebo effect may work or not. A Hello Kitty surgical mask on a kindergarten student is something that you will never forget. Gargling with green tea is also a Japanese tradition to prevent colds and get well quickly if you do get a cold.
Gargling with water is a wasteful practice, but gargling green tea is a way to protect yourself from getting a cold. The green tea lobby is always there to promote health benefits, real or imagined. Japanes with colds do not have the right to take time off. They must continue to work or school as they are expected to keep their fighting spirit and not burden others. They are not discouraged from going to school or work, and they are not given much attention to the colds that they spread.
Conclusion
People can stay home with measles or chicken pox. Schools keep track of how many days students miss and students who aren’t absent for an entire school year are commended. Some students go to junior high and high school for three consecutive years without missing a single day. They receive an award. These awards may be sought by some students who have raging fevers. The IV cocktail is the last of the four major differences that I will discuss. It is full of nutrients and other amazing things that can speed up your recovery. Go to the doctor and get a IV. This will give you a boost of energy. Although some doctors may not offer IVs to patients with a cold, they will usually give one if necessary. Usually, the doctor will oblige.
