Ben's Guide to Taipei and Taiwan

Having a baby in Taiwan has left me too busy and tired to write about it. The above is a clinic in Yonghe, just across the river from Taipei City reasonably close to Dingxi MRT station. This was my first time going through the process, so I have nothing to compare it to. I was generally satisfied with the clinic, and will probably go back again if the need arises. The doctor went to med school in the US, so he can speak English but clearly is more comfortable speaking Chinese. The nursing staff for the most part do not speak English. This was fine for me since my wife speaks Chinese.

There are many small pharmacies throughout Taipei. If you know what you need, many medications which may be available by prescription only in your home country may be available over the counter. Of course, there are still some medications that are only available through a doctor or hospital such as opiate based pain killers. A larger pharmacy which is often suggested if you are looking for something hard to find is the Shanghai Pharmacy. Shanghai Pharmacy 衡陽路32號 / Héngyáng Lù 32 Hào / Hengyang Rd., No. 32 walking distance from Ximen MRT (Blue line, just west of main station). Use Exit 4. Hengyang ends at 228 Park.

If you need to ask this question, then get yourself to the clinic located near Ximen MRT Station . Go to the 2nd floor. I don't have the exact address but you can find it on the map. What does Forumosa have to say: Health and Fitness Why does it hurt when I pee? STDs?

仁愛醫院 R é n' à i y ī yu à n Renai Rd., Sec. 4, No. 10 / 仁愛路 4 段 10 號 / Rén'ài Lù Sì Duàn Shí Hào Health Certificate Exams for visas or other reasons are done at Renai Branch, of the Taipei City Hospital . It is located on Renai Rd. near the Fuxing intersection . If you are walking south on Fuxing (from the MRT for example) the Howard Hotel will be on the right hand side you want to be on the left hand side. If coming by MRT , the nearest station is Zhongxiao-Fuxing Station on the Blue and Brown Lines. Hours are 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM and 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM on Monday through Friday . They are open 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM on Saturday if you are willing to fight the crowd. Closed on Sundays. BRING YOUR PASSPORT . Bring your passport , at least 3 photos , and about NTD 1000 . It will probably take a couple of hours. Exams are located on the 2nd floor . Follow the signs for Health Certification . You have to walk by the blood draw area, where you will go later. They will give you ...

I got a pair of custom orthopedic insoles from Dr. Mark. He takes a mold of your feet and they are ready in a couple of weeks. Getting the mold is maybe a 30 minute process. Cost is around NTD 10,000. These are the sports shoe insole.There is a dress shoe insole which I beleive uses leather instead of foam. The white is a dense foam, the gray is a plastic, and the blue is a standard foam you would find in a shoe insole. These are supposed to last for several years, but I don't think that counts the blue foam which must be able to be replaced. Dr. Mark Griffin, Doctor of Chiropractic, USA Chiropractic Care Deep Muscle Tissue Therapy Sport Injuries Custom-made foot orthotics By Appointment Only, Please! Zhongxiao East Rd. Sec. 4, #250, 11F-5 忠孝東路,四段,250號,11樓, Suite 5 entry at Lane 248 Taipei, Taiwan Tel: (02) 8771-3516 0927-183388 see my original page about Dr. Mark: http://taipeiguide.blogspot.com/2006/10/dr-mark-fixed-my-back.html

Dr. Mark Griffin, Doctor of Chiropractic, USA Zhongxiao East Rd. Sec. 4, #250, 11F-5 忠孝東路,四段,250號,11樓, Suite 5 entry at Lane 248 0927-183388 (02) 8771-3516 I would have gone a lot sooner if I'd known what a difference it made. After one session I could feel the difference and the healing process was accelerated. In the last few years my back tends to give out about every six months. I know if I ignore the pain and take it easy it will eventually clear up but I also know it will be back. I went to an MD and they just gave me a load of pain killers to see me through. Dr. Mark seems to have actually resolved the issue. Dr. Mark also does custom orthopedic insoles: http://taipeiguide.blogspot.com/2006/11/customs-insoles-by-dr-mark.html Here's my account to date: 9/12 My back hurt and I'd had enough. I saw Dr. Mark and he put me on a mechanical table which folds you gently to loosen you up for the real thing. He then has some industrial strength mechanical massage devices before...