Health - vocabulary

Assume you need to go to see a doctor. How would you describe your health condition without HEALTH VOCABULARY? Yes, it would be extremely difficult. 

This post is devoted to the vocabulary connected with illnesses, injuries, medicine and treatment.

Coming back to our appointment, let’s see what kind of vocabulary we should know to lead the conversation with a doctor.

Illnesses and injuries

ache	ból
backache	ból pleców
stomachache	ból brzucha
toothache	ból zęba
headache	ból głowy
earache	ból ucha
ill / sick	chory
sore throat	ból gardła
backache	ból pleców
broken	złamany
cut	skaleczenie
bruise	siniak
feeling sick	mdłości
injury	uraz
wound	rana
fever	gorączka
cold	przeziębienie
flu	grypa
heart attack	zawał serca
cough	kaszel
pneumonia	zapalenie płuc
stroke	udar
measles	odra
runny nose	katar

...and some more!

Medicine and treatment 

cure	lekarstwo
treatment	leczenie
painkiller	tabletka przeciwbólowa
syrup	syrop
injection	zastrzyk
cast	gips
bandage	bandaż
thermometer	termometr
antibiotic	antybiotyk
prescription	recepta

 Here you've got also some useful illness expressions:

• feel ill / sick
• have a temperature
• have a pain in your back, chest,
• have a headache
• feel dizzy
• have a swollen, sprained ankle
• have a broken leg
• cut a finger
• be allergic to something
• come down with a cold
• have a heart attack, stroke
• suffer from something
• (go to) see a doctor
• examine a patient
• feel weak
• take, measure your temperature
• diagnose an illness, disease
• prescribe medicine
• take someone to hospital
• put on a plaster
• give an injection
• have a blood test 

Now, it is time for you to test your knowledge. Don't panic! It's not so difficult as it may seem. Have fun and avoid illnesses! 

Task 1.

Complete the sentences. Use the words from the list below.

headache     ill      fever     cut       treatment       flu        temperature      pain killers    

1. My elder sister is seriously ………….. in the hospital.
2. Doctors apply various …………….. for this illness.
3. He had such a deep ……………. on his arm that he was taken to hospital.
4. I feel so weak, I think I have a ……………….. .
5. Please don’t visit us this week, the whole family has the ………… .
6. I had such a horrible headache last night that I took two ………………………………… .
7. Did you take aspirin to reduce the ……………?

Task 2.

Complete the table about the illness expressions.

• blood test       
• sick
• a pain in chest
• dizzy
• a temperature
• stomachache
• weak
• swollen ankle

Have	Feel

Task 3.

What advice would you give to your friend? Match items a-h with 1-8.

1. I feel weak.
2. I’ve got flu.
3. I’m smoking too much.
4. I’m always tired.
5. I’ve got a headache.
6. There is something wrong with my heart.
7. I think I’ve broken my leg.
8. I’ve cut my finger badly.

a)  You’ll need bandage. 

b)  You should give up immediately. 

c)  Go and see a doctor. 

d)  Take a day or two off work. 

e)  Go to bed for a few days. 

f)   Take a pain killer. 

g)  You’ll probably need an X-ray. 

h)  You can have a temperature.

To sum up, watch the video to see how to use all the above words and expressions in real-life situations. Enjoy watching!