The pharmacy — the saydaliyya — is one of the pilgrim’s best friends. They are everywhere in Makkah and Madinah, often open late, well stocked and inexpensive, and the pharmacists frequently speak some English. A great deal of what you might need is available without a prescription, so it helps to know what to ask for before you need it.
Stomach Upsets and Diarrhoea
Unfamiliar food and water, and the sheer difficulty of hygiene in crowds, mean stomach upsets are common. The first response is oral rehydration salts to replace lost fluid and electrolytes, which matters far more than the diarrhoea itself; an anti-diarrhoeal such as loperamide can help when you must travel or pray, alongside rest and plain, bland food. See a doctor if there is blood, a high fever, or if it persists for more than a couple of days, especially in children or the elderly.
Headaches and Fever
Most headaches on Umrah are caused by dehydration, heat, missed sleep or caffeine withdrawal rather than anything serious. Paracetamol or ibuprofen, a long drink of water with electrolytes, and some rest in the cool will resolve the great majority. A fever that climbs high or will not settle, however, deserves a pharmacist’s or doctor’s attention.
Blisters, Chafing and Sore Feet
Pharmacies carry blister plasters, hydrocolloid dressings, antiseptic, tape and barrier creams. Treat a hot spot the moment you feel it, protect raw skin with a dressing or petroleum jelly, and keep broken skin clean. The chapters on foot care and on preventing chafing explain the full approach; the pharmacy is where you replenish the kit.
Coughs, Colds and Sore Throats
For the “Umrah cough,” lozenges, cough syrups, saline nasal sprays, antihistamines and simple pain relief are all on the shelf. Knowing the generic name of what you want helps enormously, because the familiar brand from home may be absent while an identical generic sits beside it.
Skin, Sun and Eyes
Bring or buy unscented sunscreen and lip balm, aloe vera gel for sunburn, antiseptic and plasters for small cuts, and lubricating eye drops for eyes left dry and gritty by dust and air-conditioning. A barrier cream guards against chafing as well as nappy rash for those travelling with babies.
Using the Pharmacy Well, and Knowing the Numbers
Pack prescription medicines in their original packaging with a copy of the prescription or a doctor’s letter, since these are required at customs and at the counter, and store all medicines out of the heat. The pharmacist can advise on minor ailments and tell you when you should instead be seen at a nearby clinic. Keep the emergency numbers to hand for anything serious: 911 for any general emergency in Makkah or Madinah, and 997 for an ambulance.
Final Reflection
Knowing how to handle the small ailments yourself turns what could be a frightening hour in an unfamiliar country into a minor errand. Prepare a modest kit, learn where the nearest pharmacy is when you arrive, and carry the calm of someone who is ready. That readiness is not a lack of trust in Allah but a part of it — you take the means, and leave the rest, with a quiet heart, to the One who heals.
