In Chinese medicine, "salve" preparations are sorted into those which are applied externally and those which are taken internally. Transdermal patches are classed as an "external salve," and have wide-ranging use in treating wounds and running sores.
中藥裡的「膏」類藥物，分為外用及內服，其中貼劑就屬於「外用膏」。貼劑的使用在中國醫療行為中非常普遍，跌打損傷、生瘡流膿都可用貼劑治療。