Visiting a Doctor

I have a sore throat and a runny nose, and I'm sneezing a lot.

Asking about health

I have a bad cough, and my chest hurts.

How do you feel? / How are you feeling?

I don't feel well. I must be getting a cold.
Not so good. I've got the flu.
I'm feeling much better today, thank you.
I feel fine, thank you. / Pretty good, thank you.
How has your mother been?
She is not feeling very well.
She's been a little under the weather lately.
Tell her I hope she feels better soon. Thank
you, I will.
You don't look well. Are you sick?

I've got a fever and a headache, and I feel dizzy and weak.
I have a temperature, and there is rash on my chest and arms.
How long have you been feeling like this?
When did it start?
Have you been taking anything for it?
We'll take an X-ray of your foot / chest / stomach.
We'll do some lab tests.
It may be food poisoning.

You look ill. You should see a doctor.

It may be an infection of some kind.

It's probably a virus.
Are you allergic to any medication? Do you have an allergic reaction
to any medication? Do you have drug allergies?

Making an appointment with a doctor

The nurse will give you an injection.

Maywood Clinic. Can I help you?

Hello! I'd like to make an appointment with a
doctor.
I'd like to make an appointment with a dentist /
with an eye specialist.
I'd like to see a doctor as soon as possible.
I don't live here. I'm a tourist. I'm here on
vacation.

Here's your prescription for medication.

Stay in bed for a couple of days. Drink plenty of fluids and keep
warm.

I have medical insurance.

When can the doctor see me?
At the doctor's office
What is the problem? / What seems to be the
problem? / What is the trouble?
I've got a terrible toothache.
I have a sharp pain in my ear.
I fell down and hurt my elbow.

At a pharmacy / At a drugstore
I'd like to have this prescription filled, please.
Could you fill this prescription for me, please?
Can I buy antibiotics without a doctor's prescription? Do I need a
doctor's prescription for antibiotics?
Could you give me something for a headache / for a cold / for a
rash?
I'd like something for a cough / for a sore throat.
I need a cold medicine / a cough medicine / a laxative.
What would you recommend for an upset stomach?
How do I take this medicine?
I'd like to buy some aspirin, vitamins, hand lotion, Band-Aid, and
iodine, please.
Note:

I sprained my ankle.
My foot is swollen, and I can't move it or step on
AmE: medicine / drug; BrE: medicine.
it.
I have diarrhea and a pain in my stomach.
AmE: pharmacy / drugstore; BrE: pharmacy / chemist's.
I feel nauseous. / I feel like throwing up.
I vomited several times yesterday.

Healthy living
healthy living; healthy lifestyle; to be in good health; to feel well;

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balanced diet; nutritious food; to have regular meals; to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables;
proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals;
to be overweight; to go on a diet; to stay slim;
physical fitness; regular exercise; sports;
to do morning exercises; to exercise regularly; to play sports; to go in for sports;
to feel well; to be in good health; to be physically fit; to be in good shape;
healthy environment; clean water; fresh air; to quit smoking; to give up smoking;
to sleep well; to have a good sleep; to have / to get a good night's sleep; to have eight hours of sleep;
coping with stress; to cope with stress;
regular medical checkups; preventing injuries and diseases.
Human body
body and soul; flesh and blood; skin and bones.
Head
head, skull, brain, face, ears, hair;
face, forehead, temples, eyebrows, eyes, cheeks, nose, mouth, lips, chin;
eye, eyelid, eyelashes, eye socket (eye orbit), eyeball, pupil, iris, retina, lens, optic nerve;
nose, bridge of the nose, nostrils, sinuses;
mouth, jaws, teeth, gums, tongue, tip of the tongue, hard palate, soft palate, uvula;
tooth, teeth; front teeth, back teeth, upper teeth, lower teeth; molar, premolar, incisor, canine tooth, wisdom tooth, milk
tooth;
ear, earlobe, middle ear, eardrum.
Body
body, neck, chest, stomach, back, buttocks, arms, hands, legs, feet;
skeleton, bone, bone marrow, spine, collarbone, breastbone, rib, pelvis;
spine / backbone / spinal column / vertebral column; vertebra, vertebrae; coccyx;
joint, tendon, ligament, muscle;
neck, Adam's apple, nape of the neck, throat, pharynx, larynx, vocal cords;
torso, trunk, chest, breast, nipple, diaphragm, abdomen, navel.
Limbs
upper limbs, arm, shoulder, armpit, elbow, forearm, wrist, hand;
hand, palm, fingers, thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger, little finger, fingernail;
lower limbs, leg, hip, thigh, knee, kneecap, calf, shin, ankle, foot;

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foot, feet, sole, heel, toes, big toe, little toe, toenail.
Internal organs
circulatory system, respiratory system, digestive system, nervous system, urinary tract;
heart, lung, trachea, bronchi, esophagus, stomach, gall bladder (gallbladder), liver, small intestine, large intestine,
kidney, bladder, spleen;
aorta, artery, vein, capillary, blood, lymph, blood vessel, blood circulation;
endocrine glands, thyroid gland, pituitary gland, adrenal glands, pancreas, lymph glands;
reproductive organs, conception, pregnancy, embryo, fetus, childbirth;
to be pregnant; to have a baby; to give birth to a male child (to a female child);
body fluids / bodily fluids; blood (red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma), lymph; gastric juice, bile, mucus, tears,
saliva, sweat, urine.
Blood groups / blood types
blood group A; blood group B; blood group AB; blood group O;
OR: blood type A; blood type B; blood type AB; blood type O;
Rh factor (Rhesus factor); Rh-positive blood, Rh-negative blood;
Examples: Peter has type A blood with a positive Rh factor. His blood type is A positive. Mike is Type O negative. He is
Rh negative. Anna is type B positive. She is type B+. I am AB negative.
Diseases and disorders
disease, malady, ailment, illness, sickness, disorder, health problem;
chronic disease, acute disease, serious disease, heart disease, common diseases;
infectious disease, contagious disease; communicable diseases, noncommunicable diseases;
to have a heart disease; to suffer from asthma; to catch an infectious disease;
minor disorder, major disorder, nutrition disorder, blood disorders, mental disorders, congenital disorders, hereditary
disorders, hormonal disorders;
to have a minor kidney disorder; to have a serious genetic disorder;
to fall ill; to be ill; to be sick; to be in poor health; to be in bad shape;
to have a cold; to catch cold; to come down with a cold; to come down with pneumonia; to go down with a cold (with
pneumonia);
to have a headache; to have a toothache; to have earache; to have a pain in the stomach; to have chest pains; my left foot
hurts; my wrist hurts;
to have an allergy to medication (to medicines); to be allergic to pollen (to animal hair; to smoke); to have food
allergies;
to faint, to lose consciousness; to be unconscious; to regain consciousness;
to treat, to cure, to heal; to be on the mend; to recover (from an illness); to get well.

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Specific diseases, disorders, injuries

Skin: skin irritation, skin inflammation; redness, tenderness, swelling; rash, dermatitis, itchy skin, itching; acne, pimple,
boil; blister, burn, scar, scratch; corn, callus, wart, eczema, psoriasis.
Hair: dandruff, split ends, thinning hair, hair loss, baldness.
Eye: nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, crossed eyes, conjunctivitis, sty, retinal detachment, cataract,
glaucoma, blindness, color-blindness.
Ear: wax blockage, hearing loss, earache, ruptured eardrum; otitis, inflammation of the ear.
Nose, throat, lungs: nosebleed, runny nose, stuffy nose, rhinitis, allergic rhinitis, hay fever, sinusitis, a cold, tonsillitis,
pharyngitis, laryngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma.
Heart and circulation: atherosclerosis, hypertension, high blood pressure, heart disease, coronary heart disease, coronary
thrombosis, heart failure, heart attack, cardiac arrest, congenital heart disease, varicose veins, thrombophlebitis.
Blood: anemia, bleeding, internal bleeding, hemorrhage, hemophilia, leukemia.
Brain and nervous system: headache, migraine, dizziness, giddiness, vertigo, fainting spell, neuralgia, meningitis,
epilepsy, convulsions, seizure, stroke, paralysis, cerebral palsy, dementia.
Nutrition: vitamin deficiency, mineral deficiency; obesity; to be overweight; weight loss, anorexia, bulimia.
Stomach, intestines: heartburn, indigestion, dyspepsia, upset stomach, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, gastritis, ulcer,
gastroenteritis, colitis, constipation, appendicitis, hemorrhoids, dysentery, cholera.
Liver: hepatitis, jaundice, cirrhosis. Gall bladder: gallstones, cholecystitis.
Kidneys, urinary bladder: pyelonephritis, kidney stones, cystitis.
Bones, joints: backache / back pain, scoliosis, osteoporosis, arthritis.
Muscles: muscle spasm, muscle cramp, muscular dystrophy, hernia.
Injuries: injury, wound, trauma; hand injury, knee injury, foot injury, head injury; concussion, contusion; fracture,
fractured bone; slipped disc, prolapsed disc; dislocation, sprain, sprained ankle, pulled muscle, bruise; to break one's
arm; to have a broken arm.
General infections, systemic infections: the flu (influenza), tuberculosis, tetanus, rabies, yellow fever, typhoid,
smallpox, anthrax, leprosy.
Infectious diseases (especially in childhood): measles, rubella / German measles, mumps, whooping cough / pertussis,
diphtheria, polio, chicken pox, scarlet fever.
Infestations, parasites: tapeworm, pinworm, hookworm, roundworm; scabies, lice, fleas, ticks; malaria.
Hormonal disorders: diabetes; disorders of the pituitary gland; disorders of the thyroid gland.
Oncology: benign tumor, malignant tumor; cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, stomach cancer, skin cancer.
Mental disorders: depression, phobia, schizophrenia.
Addictions: alcohol abuse, alcohol addiction; drug abuse, drug addiction.
Medical care
Doctors, medical specialists
physician, general practitioner, family doctor; pediatrician;

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surgeon, neurosurgeon, plastic surgeon, orthopedic surgeon, orthopedist;

neurologist, dermatologist, gastroenterologist, urologist, rheumatologist, psychiatrist, oncologist, dentist, dietician;
cardiologist (heart specialist); ophthalmologist (eye specialist); otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat specialist);
women's doctor, gynecologist, obstetrician;
anesthesiologist, radiologist, pharmacist, veterinarian;
nurse, paramedic.
Medical examinations, tests, operations
to examine, to diagnose, to treat; examination, diagnosis, treatment;
physical examination; to be examined by a doctor; to have a checkup; to have a medical;
blood test, urine test, X-ray, electrocardiogram;
to take a temperature; to take a blood test; to take an X-ray;
to measure weight and height; to measure blood pressure;
to check the pulse; check your pulse rate; to take the patient's pulse; to count the pulse; to count the heartbeats;
vaccination, immunization; medical history;
to dress the wound; to put a broken arm in a cast; to give an injection (to give a shot);
to check into a hospital; to have an operation; to undergo an operation;
to give a blood transfusion; to donate blood; blood donor;
tonsils removal, appendix removal, heart surgery, organ transplantation, kidney transplant;
plastic surgery, cosmetic surgery, skin graft.
Dental care
dental care, toothpaste, toothbrush, mouthwash, dental floss;
to wear braces; to have dentures;
to have a toothache; to go to the dentist;
to have a cavity; to drill the tooth; to fill the cavity; to fill the tooth; to have a tooth filled;
to have root canal treatment; to have a tooth capped;
to have a tooth pulled; to have a wisdom tooth extracted.
Medical instruments
thermometer, eye dropper, nose dropper, hot-water bag, hot-water bottle, heating pad, enema;
tongue depressor, stethoscope, syringe, scalpel;
bandage, sterile gauze, cotton wool, adhesive plaster, Band-Aid, elastic bandage, tourniquet;
ice pack, sling, cast, crutches, stretcher.

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Medicines
medicine, drug, medication, preparation, medicament, remedy;
a cold medicine, a medicine for a cold, cold remedies;
to prescribe medication; to give a prescription (for allergy, rash, cough, etc.);
to take medicines; to take a pill; to take aspirin;
pill, tablet, capsule, powder, drops, syrup, tincture, lotion, spray, ointment, cream;
analgesic (analgetic), antacid, antibiotic, tranquillizer, contraceptive, laxative, decongestant;
antiseptic, antibacterial spray, rubbing alcohol, iodine; to paint with iodine;
medicine chest, medicine cabinet; first-aid kit.
Alternative Medicine is the name given to types of medicine that are not based on scientific evidence, but are based on
traditional or historic types of healing. There are many different types of alternative medicine. Different methods are
used in different places. Let's take a look at some popular types of alternative medicine!

Acupuncture
This is an ancient Chinese treatment. It involves inserting needles into different points in the body. It is believed that
stimulating certain points on the body can help reduce pain and make the patient feel better. Acupuncture is used to help
patients recover and reduce the feelings of nausea after operations.

Chiropractic
This type of treatment is concerned with the system of the body that includes the skeleton and the muscles. Chiropractic
treatment includes manipulating the spine to treat headaches, back pain and neck pain. Chiropractic therapists can also
suggest exercises and lifestyle changes that can improve health.

Homoeopathy
Homoeopathy is a form of treating people by giving them diluted natural substances. These substances
causesymptoms to be shown in healthy people. A patient will receive a remedy that causes the same symptoms (in a
healthy person) as their illness. These remedies are given to people in the form of small white tablets.

Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy is the treatment of people using hypnosis. Hypnosis is a special way of making people sleep by deeply
relaxing them or putting them in a trance. While patients are hypnotised they are given suggestions that are believed to

assist recovery and improve health.

Massage Therapy

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The treatment of people using massage is known as massage therapy. Massage is a useful form of therapy and can help
people heal, relax and feel good. There are many different types of massage that can help people including Thai
massage, Swedish massage and Deep Tissue Massage.

Reflexology
Reflexology is the treatment of patients by applying pressure to the feet, ears or hands. Different parts of the hands and
feet correspond to other areas of the body. Reflexologists believe that applying pressure to these parts can have a
positive effect on the health of the patient.
Types of Complementary and Alternative Medicine
What are the different types of CAM?
Many different areas make up the practice of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). In addition, many parts
of one field may overlap with the parts of another field. For example, acupuncture is also used in conventional
medicine. In the U.S., CAM is used by about 38% of adults and 12% of children. Examples of CAM include:
Traditional alternative medicine. This field includes the more mainstream and accepted forms of therapy, such as
acupuncture, homeopathy, and Oriental practices. These therapies have been practiced for centuries worldwide.
Traditional alternative medicine may include:
Acupuncture
Ayurveda
Homeopathy
Naturopathy
Chinese or Oriental medicine
Body. Touch has been used in medicine since the early days of medical care. Healing by touch is based on the idea that
illness or injury in one area of the body can affect all parts of the body. If, with manual manipulation, the other parts can
be brought back to optimum health, the body can fully focus on healing at the site of injury or illness. Body techniques
are often combined with those of the mind. Examples of body therapies include:
Chiropractic and osteopathic medicine
Massage
Body movement therapies
Tai chi
Yoga
Diet and herbs. Over the centuries, man has gone from a simple diet consisting of meats, fruits, vegetables, and grains,
to a diet that often consists of foods rich in fats, oils, and complex carbohydrates. Nutritional excess and deficiency
have become problems in today's society, both leading to certain chronic diseases. Many dietary and herbal approaches

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attempt to balance the body's nutritional well-being. Dietary and herbal approaches may include:
Dietary supplements
Herbal medicine
Nutrition/diet
External energy. Some people believe external energies from objects or other sources directly affect a person's health.
An example of external energy therapy is:
Electromagnetic therapy
Reiki
Qigong
Mind. Even standard or conventional medicine recognizes the power of the connection between mind and body.
Studies have found that people heal better if they have good emotional and mental health. Therapies using the mind
may include:
Meditation
Biofeedback
Hypnosis
Senses. Some people believe the senses, touch, sight, hearing, smell, and taste, can affect overall health. Examples of
therapies incorporating the senses include:
Art, dance, and music
Visualization and guided imagery
Medical Research Vocabulary
What Is a Research Study?
This video clip explains the purpose of research studies.
Watch This and Other Videos Now >
As you learn more about medical research studies, there are a few words you will probably hear to describe parts of the
study, such as:
Protocol
Placebo
Double-blind, or double-masked.
A protocol is the set of rules that a research study must follow. The protocol describes what will take place during the
study, who can participate, and how long the study is expected to last. It also includes a schedule of the tests and
procedures that will be done during the study, and what treatments or medications will be given.
A placebo is an inactive pill or other treatment that has no real effect on a person's condition. In some research studies,
one group of people will receive a placebo while another group receives a new drug. The effects of the new drug are
compared to those of the placebo to study the safety and effectiveness of the new drug.
In a double-blind or double-masked study, neither the study volunteer nor the Study Doctor knows whether the patient
is receiving the new drug, the standard medication, or a placebo. This prevents the expectations of the patient and the
Study Doctor from influencing the results of the study.

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Genetics is the study of heredity and of the mechanisms by which genetic factors are transmitted from one generation to
the next. Dysfunctional genes, or gene mutations, can cause illness, and can be passed from parents to children. In
addition, some people have a genetic, or inherited, predisposition to certain diseases, such as cancer, diabetes,
cardiovascular disease, and mental disorders.
Asthma is a chronic disease characterized by recurrent attacks of breathlessness and wheezing, which vary in severity
and frequency from person to person. During an asthma attack, the lining of the bronchial tubes swells, causing the
airways to narrow and reducing the flow of air into and out of the lungs.
The causes of asthma are not completely understood. However, risk factors for developing asthma include inhaling
asthma triggers, such as allergens, tobacco smoke and chemical irritants. Asthma cannot be cured, but appropriate
management can control the disorder and enable people to enjoy a good quality of life.
Anaemia is a condition in which the number of red blood cells or their oxygen-carrying capacity is insufficient to meet
physiologic needs, which vary by age, sex, altitude, smoking, and pregnancy status.
Iron deficiency is thought to be the most common cause of anaemia globally, although other conditions, such as folate,
vitamin B12 and vitamin A deficiencies, chronic inflammation, parasitic infections, and inherited disorders can all cause
anaemia.
In its severe form, it is associated with fatigue, weakness, dizziness and drowsiness. Pregnant women and children are
particularly vulnerable.
A burn occurs when some or all of the different layers of cells in the skin are destroyed by a hot liquid (scald), a hot
solid (contact burns) or a flame (flame burns). Skin injuries due to ultraviolet radiation, radioactivity, electricity or
chemicals, as well as respiratory damage resulting from smoke inhalation, are also considered to be burns.
Cardiovascular disease is caused by disorders of the heart and blood vessels, and includes coronary heart disease (heart
attacks), cerebrovascular disease (stroke), raised blood pressure (hypertension), peripheral artery disease, rheumatic
heart disease, congenital heart disease and heart failure. The major causes of cardiovascular disease are tobacco use,
physical inactivity, an unhealthy diet and harmful use of alcohol.
Cancer is the uncontrolled growth and spread of cells. It can affect almost any part of the body. The growths often
invade surrounding tissue and can metastasize to distant sites. Many cancers can be prevented by avoiding exposure to
common risk factors, such as tobacco smoke. In addition, a significant proportion of cancers can be cured, by surgery,
radiotherapy or chemotherapy, especially if they are detected early.
Hospitals play an important role in the health care system. They are health care institutions that have an organized
medical and other professional staff, and inpatient facilities, and deliver medical, nursing and related services 24 hours
per day, 7 days per week.
Hospitals offer a varying range of acute, convalescent and terminal care using diagnostic and curative services in
response to acute and chronic conditions arising from diseases as well as injuries and genetic anomalies. In doing so
they generate essential information for research, education and management.
Traditionally oriented on individual care, hospitals are increasingly forging closer links with other parts of the health
sector and communities in an effort to optimize the use of resources for the promotion and protection of individual and
collective health status.
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that infects cells of the immune system, destroying or
impairing their function. As the infection progresses, the immune system becomes weaker, and the person becomes
more susceptible to infections. The most advanced stage of HIV infection is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
(AIDS). It can take 10-15 years for an HIV-infected person to develop AIDS; antiretroviral drugs can slow down the
process even further.
HIV is transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse (anal or vaginal), transfusion of contaminated blood, sharing
of contaminated needles, and between a mother and her infant during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.

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Influenza is a viral infection that affects mainly the nose, throat, bronchi and, occasionally, lungs. Infection usually lasts
for about a week, and is characterized by sudden onset of high fever, aching muscles, headache and severe malaise,
non-productive cough, sore throat and rhinitis.
The virus is transmitted easily from person to person via droplets and small particles produced when infected people
cough or sneeze. Influenza tends to spread rapidly in seasonal epidemics.
Most infected people recover within one to two weeks without requiring medical treatment. However, in the very
young, the elderly, and those with other serious medical conditions, infection can lead to severe complications of the
underlying condition, pneumonia and death.
Diabetes is a chronic disease, which occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or when the body
cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. This leads to an increased concentration of glucose in the blood
(hyperglycaemia).
Type 1 diabetes (previously known as insulin-dependent or childhood-onset diabetes) is characterized by a lack of
insulin production.
Type 2 diabetes (formerly called non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset diabetes) is caused by the bodys ineffective use
of insulin. It often results from excess body weight and physical inactivity.
Gestational diabetes is hyperglycaemia that is first recognized during pregnancy.
Dementia is a syndrome usually of a chronic or progressive nature in which there is deterioration in cognitive
function (i.e. the ability to process thought) beyond what might be expected from normal ageing. It affects memory,
thinking, orientation, comprehension, calculation, learning capacity, language, and judgement. Consciousness is not
affected.
Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. A crude
population measure of obesity is the body mass index (BMI), a persons weight (in kilograms) divided by the square of
his or her height (in metres). A person with a BMI of 30 or more is generally considered obese. A person with a BMI
equal to or more than 25 is considered overweight.
Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular
diseases and cancer. Once considered a problem only in high income countries, overweight and obesity are now
dramatically on the rise in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings.
Transplantation is the transfer (engraftment) of human cells, tissues or organs from a donor to a recipient with
the aim of restoring function(s) in the body. When transplantation is performed between different species, e.g.
animal to human, it is named xenotransplantation.
Depression is a common mental disorder, characterized by sadness, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of
guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, feelings of tiredness, and poor concentration.
Depression can be long-lasting or recurrent, substantially impairing an individuals ability to function at work or
school or cope with daily life. At its most severe, depression can lead to suicide. When mild, people can be
treated without medicines but when depression is moderate or severe they may need medication and
professional talking treatments.
Depression is a disorder that can be reliably diagnosed and treated by non-specialists as part of primary health
care. Specialist care is needed for a small proportion of individuals with complicated depression or those who
do not respond to first-line treatments.

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