在中国，几乎所有中老年人都用过膏药，尤其是有腰背疼痛等症状的老年人。如今，膏药已成为许多家庭的必备药。那么，膏药为什么会在中国受到如此广泛地欢迎呢？
In China, almost all the elderly people use herbal plasters, especially people with lower back pain. Nowadays, herbal plaster has become a basic medication for many families. So, why is plaster so popular in China?
膏药在中国由来已久，是中药的五大种类之一。人们最初将羊、猪等动物的油脂涂到皮肤上，防止皮肤冻伤裂开，或者治疗皮肤上的溃疡。唐、宋时期，中药得到了很大发展，膏药的种类增多，治疗范围也随之扩大，不仅能用于皮肤病，还能用于跌打损伤等。到了清代，膏药已经成为一种普及度很高的外用药了。
Herbal plaster originated in China a long time ago and is one of five types of traditional Chinese medicine. People at first applied the oil of animals such as goats or pigs, to their skin in order to prevent frostbite, cracked skin, or to treat ulcers of the skin. During the Tang and Song Dynasty, traditional Chinese medicine developed greatly. The types of plaster increased and the therapeutic range expanded, including not only treatment of skin diseases, but also traumatic injuries etc. During the Qing Dynasty, herbal plasters became popular medicine for external use.
膏药用多种中药材做成，能够充分发挥各种药材叠加的效能。它的制作成本小，价格不高。膏药是外用药，只需贴在患处，药力就能透过皮肤，传到身体的患病部位，从而解除病人的痛苦。这种外用药副作用小，使用安全。另外，使用也简单，不需要什么特别的技术，因此很容易被老百姓接受，于是膏药也就经久不衰地传递了下来。
Herbal plasters are composed of many different traditional Chinese medicinal ingredients which in combination release the full potency of their medicinal properties. Its production cost is low and the sale price is not high. Plasters are for external use. By pasting on the plaster to the affected region, the medicine takes effect by penetrating the skin and reaching to the source of the symptoms, thus relieving the suffering of the patient. This type of medicine has very little side-effect and is safe to apply. In addition, it is easy to use and does not require any special techniques. Therefore it is readily accepted by common people and has been passed down for many generations.
在中国，除了医院（特别是中医院）的药房，大大小小的药店、诊所，甚至地摊上都有膏药出售。一般来说，地摊出售的“祖传膏药”质量不能保证，而且地摊流动性大，容易上当受骗。因此，患者最好到正规医院或者药房购买膏药，并且在医生的指导下正确使用。
In China, besides the drugstores located in hospitals (especially hospitals of traditional Chinese medicine), large and small drugstores, clinics and even stalls sell plasters. Generally speaking, the quality of the so called “plasters handed down from ancestors” sold by stalls cannot be guaranteed, moreover, with their frequent mobility people can easily be tricked. Therefore, it is better for patients to buy plasters in regular hospitals or drugstores and apply them correctly according to the doctor’s recommendations.
