E.A. Денисова

Health and medicine

Topical Vocabulary:

What might the doctor ask you: What’s the matter? What’s the problem? What’s wrong? What’s up? You don’t look very well. How did it happen? How do you know? Do you have health insurance? Are you taking any medication? Have you ever had any operations? Are you allergic to anything?

What’s the diagnosis? I’ve got a cold/ flu / hay fever/ diarrhea/ a hangover/ toothache/ a stomach-ache/ backache/ earache/ a headache/chickenpox/ mumps/ pneumonia/ rheumatism/ an ulcer/ a virus/ a bug/ you’ve broken your wrist and sprained (dislocated) your ankle/ you’re pregnant / a hypochondriac/ I feel sick/ I cut my finger/ I twisted my ankle/ I broke my arm/ I’ve got concussion/ I burnt my hand/ I’ve got a bruise/ a bullet wound/ a knife wound/ to have a black eye/ broken ribs/ frostbite/ a bad burn/ amnesia/ somnambulism/ insomnia/ maniac-depression/ schizophrenia/ melancholia/ paranoia/ an Oedipus complex/ an Electra complex.

What are the symptoms? I’ve got a cough/ a temperature/ a sore throat/ aching muscles/ sneezing, runny nose, sore eyes/ keeping going to the toilet/ vomiting/ headache/ chest pains/ a pain in my side/ a rash on my chest/ spots/ a bruise on my leg/ a black eye/ a lump on my arm/ indigestion/ diarrhea/ painful joints/blisters/ sunburn; to feel sick/dizzy/ breathless/ shivery/ faint; to be depressed/ constipated/ tired all the time; to loose appetite/ voice; can’t sleep; pain on eating/ pain (nausea) after eating/ my nose itches and my leg hurts/ swollen glands n front of the ear/ earache/burning pain in abdomen/ rapid breathing/ dry cough/ stiffness, limited movement/ it’s bleeding/ it’s very painful/ it’s swollen/ dandruff/ a blocked nose/ nosebleed/ hiccups/ stinging/ throbbing/ a stiff neck/ to be a bit feverish/ to have nauseous feeling/ to tremble all over/ bunged up nose/ dehydration/ tarry stool.

Sickness/ illness/ malady/ disease/ ailment/ disorder/ cause of illness/ aches/ pains/ wounds/ injuries/ cuts/ bruises/ injection/ ambulance, first aid, paramedics, to collide, to be shot, to be stabbed, to get into a fight, to get beaten up, to knock oneself unconscious, rush to hospital/ come out in/ blood transfusion/ amputation/ highly infectious/ injured/ keep fit/ operate on/ outbreak/ spread/ private patient/ stress-related/ recover from/ successfully treated/ regular exercise/ upset stomach/ relieve the pain/ visiting hours/ anaesthetic/ fight off/ to go down with/ get over it/ suffer from/ die of (from)/ healthcare, national insurance/ National Health Service/ prescription charge/ insurance schemes/ to go private/ be poorly, be on the mend, feel a bit under the weather/ be over the worst/ be back on one’s feet again/ come down with/ to look a bit off-colour/ to feel out of sorts/ dosage/ medication/ vaccination/ sick note/ donate blood/ cholesterol/ plaque/ offal/ to excrete/ fibre/ buffer/ gut/ cardiovascular/ diabetics/ glucose/ insulin/ mood enhancer (serotonin).

Serious Illnesses: lung (breast, prostate, cervix, womb, thyroid, bowel) cancer/ heart attack/ brain hemorrhage/ AIDS/ hepatitis/ asthma, diabetes, bronchitis, tuberculosis (TB), cholera, typhoid, haemophilia.

Phobias: ceraunophobia/ astraphobia/ophidiophobia/ nyctophobia/ acrophobia/ pyrophobia/ aquaphobia/ ailurophobia/ cynophobia/ agoraphobia/ triskaidekaphobia/ arachnophobia/ contreltophobia/ androphobia/ apiphobia/ autophobia/ aerophobia/ entomophobia (insectophobia)/ claustrophobia/.

Manias: pyromania/ dipsomania/ megalomania/ monomania/ kleptomania/ trichotillomania (trichotillosis)/ onychophagia/ dermatillomania/ dermatophagia.

Alternative medicine: acupuncture/ chiropractic/ herbal medicine (herbal healing)/ homeopathy/ aromatherapy/ hypnosis/ chromotherapy/ stonetherapy/ hippotherapy (animal therapy)/ raw food diet/ urine therapy/ leech therapy / starvation cure/ cryotherapy/ thalasso, SPA, joga.

Healing professions: The obstetrician practices obstetrics/ the pediatrician practices pediatrics/ the podiatrist (chiropodist) practices podiatry (chiropody)/ the osteopath practices osteopathy/ the ophthalmologist (oculist) practices ophthalmology/ the optometrist practices optometry/ the optician makes optical instruments/ the gynecologist practices gynecology/ the dermatologist specializes in dermatology/ the psychiatrist practices psychiatry/ the orthodontist specializes in orthodontia.

What do doctors do? They take your temperature, listen to your chest, look in your ears, examine you, take your blood pressure, ask you some questions and weigh and measure you before sending you to the hospital for further tests.

What does the doctor prescribe? Take one three times a day after meals/ take a teaspoonful last thing at night/rub a little on before going to bed each night/ get the nurse to put a bandage (a plaster, a sling, stitches) on/ need to have some injections/ fit for an operation/ have one’s leg put in plaster/ have total bed rest for a week/ to run a test/ blood test/ urinoscopy/ urine sample/ stool test/ feces analysis/ stool sample/ get a walking stick/ buy one of those nasal sprays/ put some cream (ointment, ice pack) on it and cover up/ clean it thoroughly with antiseptic/ bend your knees when you lift things/ try one of those special shampoos, gargle and try not to talk so much/ eat more slowly/ have physiotherapy/ get contact lenses, have a filling/.

Answer the questions: Have you had any of these illnesses recently? Have you had any aches and pains recently? Make a list of the ones you have had. Are there any other illnesses you have had or still have? What were the symptoms and what did the doctor prescribe? Have you ever broken your arm or leg? Have you ever needed stitches? Have you ever had concussion? Have you ever been unconscious? Have you ever had (run) tests? Have you ever been in an ambulance? Do people in your country worry about their health and keeping fit? Do you do anything to stay healthy? If so, what? What advice would you give to someone who suffers from stress? Think of other medical problems and give advice.