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Vocabulary for Health Issues

The document discusses common health problems and recommended actions, such as seeing a doctor for flu symptoms or applying a bandage for cuts. It also explains the terminology used to describe pain, differentiating between 'ache' and 'pain,' and outlines serious illnesses that may require hospitalization. Additionally, it includes exercises for vocabulary practice related to health and illness.

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Yolanda Sánchez villa
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28 views2 pages

Vocabulary for Health Issues

The document discusses common health problems and recommended actions, such as seeing a doctor for flu symptoms or applying a bandage for cuts. It also explains the terminology used to describe pain, differentiating between 'ache' and 'pain,' and outlines serious illnesses that may require hospitalization. Additionally, it includes exercises for vocabulary practice related to health and illness.

Uploaded by

Yolanda Sánchez villa
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

20 Health

A Common problems
What’s the matter? What you should do
A: I’ve got a sore throat and a temperature.
1 2
B: That sounds like flu. You should see a doctor.

A: I’ve cut my arm; it’s bleeding.3 B: Put a bandage4 round it.


A: I’ve got a terrible cough.5 B: Go to the chemist and get some cough
medicine [something you take to treat an illness].

A: I’ve got a headache. B: Take some tablets6 for the pain. (also pills)
A: I feel sick.7 B: Go to the bathroom quickly!

1 3 5 7

2 4 6

B Describing pain
We can use di!erent words to describe pain. An ache describes pain that is not always
strong, but often continues. It is used with certain parts of the body.
I’ve got a headache. Aria’s got stomach ache.
My dad su!ers from [often has the pain of] backache.
For other parts of the body we often use pain.
I’ve got a pain in my shoulder/foot.
Ache can also be a verb to describe pain that continues for some time.
By the end of the day my feet were aching.
For stronger or more sudden pain, we usually use the verb hurt.
My throat hurts when I speak.
I hit my leg on the table and it really hurts / it’s very painful.

C Serious illnesses
For serious [bad] illnesses, you will probably go into hospital. A person who stays in hospital
is called a patient. Many patients need an operation [when special doctors, called surgeons,
cut into the body for medical reasons; also called surgery].
Lung cancer can be caused by smoking.
Heart attacks can happen very suddenly.
Hepatitis is a disease a!ecting the liver.
lungs
Language help
heart
Disease is used to talk about more serious medical
problems, often a!ecting certain parts of the body, liver
e.g. heart disease. Illness is used to talk about
serious and minor medical problems and those
a!ecting the mind, e.g. mental illness. Disease is
not used about a period of illness, e.g. He died after
a long illness. (NOT He died after a long disease.)

46 English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and Intermediate


Exercises

20.1 Look at the underlined letters in each pair of words. Is the pronunciation the same or
di!erent? Use the index to help you.
1 ache pain same 5 liver disease
2 cold stomach -.
different 6 stomach operation
3 cough through 7 chemist ache
4 flu cut 8 patient bandage
20.2 Complete the sentences with a or nothing (–).
1 She’s got - hepatitis. 6 I’ve got backache.
2 I’ve got a cough. 7 Zarita’s got flu.
3 I’m getting sore throat. 8 My uncle had heart attack.
4 Ben’s got headache. 9 She’s got cancer.
5 Luis’s got temperature. 10 I’ve got pain in my foot.
20.3 Complete the dialogues.
1 A: Does your finger hurt?
B: Yes, it’s very painful .
2 A: What’s wrong with Dimitrios?
B: He feels . I think it’s something he ate.
3 A: Did you hit your foot?
B: Yes, and it really .
4 A: My hand’s bleeding quite badly.
B: Well, put a round it.
5 A: Your finger’s .
B: I know. I cut it using that knife.
6 A: Does Tanya still from bad headaches?
B: Yes, she gets them all the time.
7 A: What’s the matter?
B: My back from sitting at that computer all day.
8 A: I understand Lena has had quite a illness.
B: Yeah. She was in hospital for over a week.
20.4 Find five more pairs of words. Why are they pairs?

lung heart surgeon tablets/pills attack liver


operation cancer hepatitis sore medicine throat

lung and cancer - because you can get lung cancer.

20.5 Over to you


Answer the questions. If possible, compare your answers with someone else.
1 What do you usually do if you get a headache?
2 How often do you get a cough or a sore throat?
3 Have you ever been a patient in hospital? If so, what was it like?
4 Have you ever had surgery?
5 Are there some medicines you always keep in your home? What are they?

English Vocabulary in Use Pre-intermediate and Intermediate 47

Common questions

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The words 'cough' and 'cut' have different pronunciations, which implies a variation in phonetic realization despite potentially similar spellings or shared vocal elements like the starting 'c'. This underscores the complex nature of English phonetics and the importance of understanding pronunciation rules beyond spelling conventions .

The term 'operation' is used to describe a medical procedure wherein surgeons cut into the body for medical reasons, also called surgery. This is often required for treating serious illnesses, with the patient being in a hospital during the process .

The document suggests going to a chemist to get cough medicine, signifying the chemist's role in providing medications for treating common illnesses, such as a cough .

The document distinguishes that an 'ache' refers to a continuous, not always strong pain used with specific body parts, such as headache and stomach ache . For other parts of the body, the word 'pain' is more commonly used, as in 'pain in the shoulder' . The verb 'hurt' is used for stronger or sudden pain, for example, 'My throat hurts when I speak' .

The advice to put a bandage around a bleeding injury suggests an immediate first-aid response to control bleeding and prevent infection . This action implies the importance of basic first-aid knowledge to manage minor injuries before professional medical help is sought, if necessary.

If someone feels suddenly sick, it is recommended to go to the bathroom quickly, implying that it might be a symptom of nausea or an imminent need to vomit .

For a sore throat and temperature, it is advised to see a doctor as it might be flu . If someone cuts their arm and it bleeds, a bandage is recommended . In case of a headache, taking pain-relief tablets can help .

The document indicates that if someone suffers from backache, it may be due to sitting for long periods, like at a computer. It implies the importance of taking preventative measures to avoid prolonged sitting .

'Ache' is used to describe a continuous, less intense pain, often associated with specific body parts like the head or stomach . In contrast, 'pain' or the verb 'hurt' is used for stronger, more acute discomfort, such as shoulder pain or a sudden injury causing pain . This distinction addresses both the intensity and the constancy of discomfort experienced.

The term 'disease' is primarily used to refer to more serious medical problems affecting specific parts of the body, such as heart disease or a condition caused by a pathogen . In contrast, 'illness' can refer to both serious and minor medical conditions, and it can affect the physical body or the mind, like mental illness, making 'illness' a broader term .

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