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Everything you need to get through Swedish winter

Back home you always know what to buy to address common winter ailments. But how do you know what to buy abroad? We asked Sweden's largest pharmacy chain for help.

Published: 3 February 2017 09:20 CET
Updated: 15 June 2023 14:12 CEST
Everything you need to get through Swedish winter
Photo: Pixabay

The holidays have come and gone…but Swedish winter is here to stay for at least another two months.

And with winter comes darkness, slippery sidewalks, dry skin, chapped lips, coughing and runny noses… but also serene, snow-covered landscapes; fresh, frosty air; ice-skating and skiing galore.

As any Swede will tell you, the key to enjoying winter is being prepared.

Luckily, a charming Swedish pharmacy has your best interests at heart. Literally…Apotek Hjärtat (“the heart apothecary”) has everything it takes to help you see the light in these dark times, so you can get out there and enjoy the winter wonderland.

So stop stuffing your bags full of remedies from back home on each trip – you can get it all right here in the midst of Swedish winter.

Photo: Apotek Hjärtat/Flickr

1. You don’t need a thick skin  

One of the worst parts of winter is the havoc it wreaks on your skin. But you don’t need a thick skin to make it through – you just need a hydrated one!  

The L300 series is specifically designed to help skin handle Nordic winters, from the biting cold outdoors to the dry warm air indoors. Try the Intensive Moisture Day Cream or Night Cream to keep your skin happy.

Apotek Hjärtat also carries classic, quality French brands like Avène and La Roche-Posay, so those with sensitive skin will never be left out in the cold (pun intended).

Avène’s Cold Cream can protect your skin from winter winds while still letting it breathe, and their thermal spring water spray can help keep skin calm no matter what the trouble.

There are also products which help with eczema, rosacea, and basically any problem you have.

2. Lip service

Speaking of dryness, don’t get us started on lips. Winter weather can leave them chapped and cracked, both unsightly and painful.

Luckily there’s Hjärtats hudsalva, Apotek Hjärtat’s very own balm which can help rescue your lips for less than the cost of a latte.

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Lips will repair cracks, Aco Stay Soft Lips moisturizes for 24 hours with a little shine and shimmer, and Decubal lips and dry spots balm can even protect your cuticles and elbows. Take care of those lips so you can still engage in stimulating Swedish small talk while waiting for the bus, even when it’s -10C outside.

3. Stand your ground

Or, you know, sit. Photo: Pixabay

And while you’re waiting for the bus, don’t slip and fall. There’s no such thing as bad weather after all, just bad clothing. This is why Swedes use a handy little invention they call “broddar” or “halkskydd” – clips on your shoes which will help you grip the ice. You might know them as ice creepers or cleats.

It’s worth not having to fall on your bum 317 times before spring arrives, right? And don’t worry, they come in multiple colours! (Though a true Stockholmer would choose black.)

4. Sun supplements

Three to five hours of sunlight doesn’t get you much Vitamin D. It’s no wonder that about half of Swedes are deficient by the time spring rolls around.

Luckily, Apotek Hjärtat has a plethora of Vitamin D, whether you want to swallow, sip, or even chew it. 

5. Let go of Lemsip…

Yes, we know the Brits out there miss Lemsip.

“But you can get similar stuff here, no matter what the Brits say,” says Emma, a Swede who lived in the UK for many years.

The only thing is, Swedes aren’t as in to lemon as you are. But if you’re up for trying black currant flavour, Panodil has just the thing – a powdered hot drink with paracetamol that relieves pain and fever.

There are plenty of other products to manage colds, too, like various nose sprays (nässpray) and lozenges (sugtabletter). For sore throats, Strepsils and Bafucin are popular choices, and Zyx is said to have a numbing effect.

6. The flu and you

Got the flu? Not much to do but wait it out with plenty of painkillers and hand sanitizer.

If you’re looking for paracetamol (known as Tylenol to many Americans), you’ll find it in brands like Alvedon, Pamol, Panodil, and Pinex. If you need ibuprofen, try Ipren or Ibumetin.

Missing Anadin/Anacin with aspirin and caffeine? You can get something similar in fizzy drink form, such as Bamyl and Treo.

7. Brush off the cough

Even when a nasty cold has passed, that pesky cough can last for weeks.

In Sweden the most common solutions are Bisolvon – which comes in cough syrup and pill form – as well as Nipaxon and Bromhex. Nipaxon is intended to relieve dry coughs (rethosta), whereas Bisolvon and Bromhex are designed to help get rid of phlegm-filled coughs (slemhosta) and clear the airways.

8. Prevention is key

Photo: Apotek Hjärtat/Flick

Of course, the best way to make it through Swedish winter is just to stay healthy in the first place. Many Swedes take Echinacea supplements or a root extract called KanJang as soon as they feel a cold coming on.

9. Get away

If all else fails…leave Swedish winter for a while. That’s what the Swedes do.

And Apotek Hjärtat has everything you need to prepare for your flight to warmer latitudes, too, from sleeping masks and ear plugs to pillows, ponchos, fanny packs, travel-size bottles, luggage tags, electric adapters, and more.

How to shop at ApotekHjartat.se

Click on the image to visit the Apotek Hjärtat’s website

Alright, so now you know what to get. But how? Just take a stroll to your nearest Apotek Hjärtat – you can find it by entering your street address or postal code here – and an employee will be happy to help you with whatever you need – and speaking English is no problem. You can also choose to join their loyalty programme, which gives you access to great special offers.

Sick on the couch? Shop online! Apotek Hjärtat’s website is currently only available in Swedish – but it’s still simple to navigate!

You can browse by category under Sortiment, or look for specific brands under Varumärken.

To add a product to your cart, just click the green button that says “köp” – buy. When you’re ready to check out, click the blue “till kassan” button in the upper right-hand corner.

The site might recommend some other products you might like – just click the blue button again, “vidare till kassan“, if you want to go straight to your cart.

You will then be able to fill out your delivery information – and most of the delivery options are free, and take 1-3 days.

Once you enter your email address and area code, your registered address should appear and then you should be able to choose between receiving a bill (faktura), paying at the end of the month (betala i slutet av the next month), credit card (kort), a direct bank payment (banköverföring), or Klarna.

When you’re ready just click “slutför köp”, and you’re done! Now go out and enjoy winter, the Swedish way!


Photo: Pixabay

Remember that, as with any medicine, it’s important that you always read the patient information leaflet before using prescription-free medicine. That includes products such as Panodil, Bafucin, Strepsil, Zyx, any other ibuprofen and paracetamol products, KanJang Echinacea supplements, Bamyl, Treo, Bisolvon, Nipaxon, and Bromhex. See below for more information about each prescription-free medicine listed in this article.

Call 0771-405 405 for help in English.

This article was produced by The Local and sponsored by Apotek Hjärtat.

Tillägg plikttexter

p.small { line-height: 0.7; } p.big { line-height: 1.8; } Panodil Pulver till oral lösning i dospåse 500 mg
Receptfritt läkemedel med paracetamol mot värk och feber. Från 12 år.

Strepsils sugtablett, flera smaker
Receptfritt läkemedel använt vid lindriga infektioner i munhåla och svalg tex ont i halsen. Mint från 12 år, övriga smaker från 6 år.

Bafucin sugtablett original/mint
Receptfritt läkemedel som används vid halsont och svalgrodnad i samband med lindriga infektioner i munhåla och svalg. Från 5 år.

Zyx sugtablett 3mg, flera smaker
Receptfritt läkemedel med benzydamin för lindring av smärta och irritation i mun och svalg. Från 6 år.

Bamyl koffein Brustablett 500mg/50mg
Receptfritt läkemedel med acetylsalicylsyra och koffein vid tillfälliga lätta till måttliga smärttillstånd, t ex huvudvärk, migrän, muskel- och ledvärk samt vid feber vid förkylningssjukdomar. Ska inte ges till personer under 18 år med feber utan läkarkontakt. Från 14 år.

Treo Brustablett 500mg/50mg original/citrus
Receptfritt läkemedel med acetylsalicylsyra och koffein vid tillfälliga lätta till måttliga smärttillstånd, t ex huvudvärk, migrän, muskel- och ledvärk samt vid feber vid förkylningssjukdomar. Ska inte ges till personer under 18 år med feber utan läkarkontakt. Från 14 år.

Kan Jan oral lösning
Traditionellt växtbaserat läkemedel använt för att lindra symtom vid förkylning. Används inte mer än 10 dagar per behandlingstillfälle. Indikationerna för ett traditionellt växtbaserat läkemedel grundar sig enbart på erfarenhet av långvarig användning. Från 12 år.

Bisolvon och Bromhex är receptfria läkemedel med bromhexin mot tillfällig, kortvarig hosta med segt slem. Läs bipacksedeln på fass.se för mer specifik information om t ex åldersgränser.

Nipaxon är ett receptfritt läkemedel med noskapin för behandling av tillfällig kortvarig rethosta. Läs bipacksedeln på fass.se för mer specifik information om t ex åldersgränser.

Ipren och Ibumetin är receptfria läkemedel med ibuprofen som är smärtlindrande, febernedsättande och inflammationshämmande. Läs bipacksedeln på fass.se för mer specifik information om t ex åldersgränser.

Alvedon, Pamol, Panodil och Pinex är receptfria läkemedel med paracetamol mot värk och feber.
Läs bipacksedeln på fass.se för mer specifik information om t ex åldersgränser.

För utförlig information om receptfria läkemedel se bipacksedeln på www.fass.se

For members

HEALTH

Who should get vaccinated against TBE in Sweden?

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) has more than doubled in Sweden in the past decade. Who should get vaccinated against it and how much does it cost?

Published: 13 March 2024 13:44 CET
Updated: 8 April 2024 07:53 CEST
Who should get vaccinated against TBE in Sweden?

TBE, or Tick-borne encephalitis, is one of the two main tick-borne diseases in Sweden (Lyme disease is the other one).

It is a viral brain infection, which can cause a range of symptoms, usually starting with typical flu-like symptoms and then developing to include nausea, dizziness, and in around a third of cases, severe problems.

Symptoms usually appear around a week after the bite, but can take longer. There is no cure, but it can be treated, and there is a vaccination too.

The tick season tends to last from March to November, peaking in April to mid-June. According to the Public Health Agency, most TBE cases however tend to be recorded during the summer, as that’s the period when people spend the most time outdoors.

TBE is relatively rare, but has been on a fairly steady increase in Sweden in the past decade, from 178 confirmed cases in 2014 (or an incidence rate of 1.83 per 100,000 people) to 595 cases in 2023 (incidence rate 5.64), according to the Public Health Agency’s statistics.

Who should get vaccinated?

Because the infection can in a few cases lead to serious consequences, anyone who lives in an area where there’s a high concentration of ticks carrying TBE is recommended to get vaccinated.

That includes people who live there permanently and who have temporary summer homes, as well as people who spend a lot of time outdoors in these areas, but there’s no strict cut-off point.

Not all ticks carry TBE, and they have historically been concentrated in southern parts of Sweden and the Stockholm archipelago, but have been spreading across the country in recent years.

The regions that recorded the most number of cases last year were Stockholm (160, or an incidence rate of 6.52 per 100,000 people), Västra Götaland (121, or 6.85), Södermanland (55, or 18.22), Uppsala (52, or 12.85), Västmanland (33, or 11.75) and Värmland (31, or 10.93).

The only region that didn’t record a single case of TBE in 2023 was Gotland. Jämtland, Västerbotten and Västernorrland recorded one case each, and Norrbotten two cases.

You may want to contact your regional health services for specific information. Skåne, for example, only recorded 21 cases last year (an incidence rate of 1.48), but TBE is more common in certain parts of the region than others, and the region recommends that people living in these parts get vaccinated – there’s more information to be found on the region’s TBE vaccine page.

You can of course also get vaccinated even if you don’t live in a high-risk area, especially if you spend a lot of time in the forest or tall grass.

How can I get vaccinated?

You can search for healthcare centres near you through 1177.se or the website Fästing.nu (fästing is the Swedish word for tick – don’t confuse it with fästning, a fortress). To view regional information on 1177, go to the top of the page and click välj region (choose region).

The vaccine is not part of Sweden’s national vaccination programme, so you have to pay for it.

In Östergötland, the vaccine is subsidised by the region, so each dose of the initial three doses costs 200 kronor for adults. In a lot of other regions, including Stockholm, it costs around 400 kronor.

Only Sörmland, Uppsala, Västmanland, Östergötland and Jönköping offer the vaccine for free to children and teenagers, at least the basic vaccination schedule of the initial three doses.

How does the vaccine work?

You start with three doses (or four if you’re over 50), usually the first two within the space of one to three months and the third dose ahead of the next season, no more than a year after the second dose.

Each of these doses increases your level of protection, but because you need several to be fully protected, it’s recommended that you begin the vaccination programme well ahead of tick season.

You then get a fourth (or fifth if you’re over 50) top-up dose after three years, and will need top-ups every five years.

Children under the age of 15 are recommended to get the second dose one month after the first dose, then the third dose after 5-12 months. After that they follow the same schedule as adults, so a fourth dose after three years followed by top-ups every five years.

People with an impaired immune system due to underlying health issues are recommended to follow the same schedule as over-50s. They may not be able to reach a full level of defence against TBE, but the vaccine will offer enough protection that they are still recommended to get it.

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