TOPICAL VOCABULARY

Health centres

hospital

ambulance

drug-store

surgery

emergency

maternity home

polyclinic

chemist’s

nursing centre

health- resort

to take to the hospital

waiting room

ward

medical record (card)

patient’s file

urgent call

to be admitted to a hospital

to be discharged from a hospital

to call an ambulance

stretcher

emergency case

examination couch

instrument table

Indisposition

disease

injury

illness

malady

sickness

ailment

to be in poor / no / critical condition

to be unfit for something

to be weakened / indisposed

a bout of depression

(non) communicable diseases

(in)curable, catching, contagious diseases

epidemic

Pneumonia is a chest disease, which makes breathing very difficult.

Human body

hair

throat

armpit

head

shoulder

waist

lung

stomach

back

heart

belly

liver

intestine

side

kidney

skin

ankle

breast

joint

bowels

brain

windpipe

vein

artery

bronchus

lung

gullet

bladder

blood circulation

nervous system

hip

muscle

chest

fist

elbow

wrist

palm

thigh

calf

heel

instep

sole

toe

limbs

chin

temple

forehead

jaw

tongue

eyelid

eyelashes

pupil

iris

bones

skull

collar bone

shoulder-blade

breastbone

forearm

backbone/spine

hip-bone

kneecap

ribs

Medicines

drug

mixture

antibiotic

pill

drops

antiseptic

capsule

ointment

anaesthetic

tablet

cream

pain killer

powder

iodine

medical herb

extract

gargle

tranquillizer

to make up a medicine

to take a medicine (for)

a tablespoonful , a teaspoonful,

to take these pills three times a day, every two hours

after / before meals, on an empty stomach

to take for a headache/cough/ a cold

to apply a mustard plaster

to be inoculated against

to put a dressing

to put a hot water bottle( to)

to remove the bandage

You must take these tablets to reduce the inflammation.

You can only get this ointment on prescription.

Medical appliances

bandage

heating pad

stethoscope

syringe

plaster

cotton-wool

thermometer injection

inhalation

to give a shot ( injection )

The doctor protected the wound from the air by putting a bandage over it.

Symptoms

pain

sore eyes

runny nose

chest

sore throat

shiver

ache

sore back

vomit

stomach

swollen ear

diarrhoea

headache

insomnia

dizziness

earache

fainting

giddiness

temperature

bleeding

sleepiness

fever

cough

fatigue

inflammation

sneezing

rash

My throat is sore. It hurts to swallow.

Complaints

to feel bad / sick / ill / dizzy / giddy / feverish / faint

to fall ill / be taken ill

to suffer from

to complain of / about

to have / develop pain in kidneys / liver / stomach

to have a sore throat / headache / temperature

high blood pressure

to feel stiff

to catch cold / have a cold

to fall over

to pull a muscle

to twist one’s ankle

to have a heart attack

to have poor vision

to faint

to have pain in the stomach

to have a runny / stuffed-up nose /clogged nose

to have a nervous breakdown

to be depressed / tired

to lose appetite / voice

to have a chill

to be near / far sighted

to itch

to burn

to hurt

to pain

I’m allergic to odours.

It hurts me to move.

I have high blood pressure.

My eyes itch.

My ear aches.

What shall I take for it?

Diseases

flu / influenza

heart disease

blood pressure

tonsillitis

hay fever

appendicitis

quinsy

food poisoning

AIDS

sore throat

indigestion

cancer

grippe

sun-stroke

allergy

catarrh

chest infection

pneumonia

asthma

ear infection

the measles

bronchitis

He was suffering from chronic appendicitis.

My appendix is causing me trouble again.

Doctor’s activity

to test / take blood pressure

to do X-ray

to examine / feel the pulse

to do blood test

to sound the chest / heart / lungs

to remove tonsils

to pull / take out a tooth

to operate

to make / give an injection

to treat

to write out a prescription

to write out a sick leave

to cure

to cure smb. of smth.

to be operated on /for

to have the mixture made up

The doctor arranged for me a complete series of tests.

He gave me an injection to relieve the pain.

Patient’s activity

to strip to the waist

to take the shirt off

to spread fingers

to inhale

to stretch arms

to exhale,

to be prescribed to a diet

to stay in bed

to undergo an operation

to gargle

to bare an arm

to complain of smth.

to have after-effects

to have the symptoms of

to follow the directions of the doctor

Before going to the doctor you should make an appointment.

Prescriptions

to prescribe an injection

to take medicine

to apply the ointment/drops

to rub the cream into

to wear glasses / contact lenses

to stay from work

to put a bandage / plaster on

to have an operation

to stay in bed for some time

to keep warm

to be on a sick list

to take a hot water bottle/bag

to consult a doctor

to do blood transfusion

to take more exercise

The doctor prescribed an antibiotic to/for the sick man.

How should the medicine be taken? On an empty stomach? After / before a meal?

How do I take this medicine? How often / how much should I take it?

How long is your sick-leave?

At the dentist’s

To make an appointment with a dentist for a check up,

for a dental care

instrument tray

dentures

set of false teeth

drill

bridge

crown

seat

porcelain tooth

filling

extraction forceps

to have one’s tooth treated

to be / work loose

to fit on a crown/bridge

to pull out (remove, extract) a tooth

to have one’s tooth stopped/fille

Medical Specialists

general practitioner (GP)

neurologist

surgeon

urologist

paediatrician

gynaecologist

physiotherapist

anaesthesiologist

psychiatrist

ophthalmologist

pathologist

orthopaedist

internist

pharmacist

dentist

optician

nurse

veterinarian

Other medical terminology

in-patient

sick-note

to recover

out-patient

sick-leave

to die

check-up

ward

disability

affect

addict

hygiene

PROVERBS AND SAYINGS

An apple a day keeps a doctor away.

Sound mind in a sound body.

Health is better than wealth.

Prevention is better than cure.

One man’s meat is another man’s poison.

Health is not valued till sickness comes