Básico

Básico
 U Health and illness
rJ Asking about health
Heahh is the state of the body. When doc1ors wam ro know abour a pa1ienr's usual
health, rhey ask questions such as:
What is your general How's your healrh,
healrh like? gencrally?

lf you are in good health, you are weU and havc no illness (discase). lf you are healthy
you are normally wdl and can resist illncss. lf you are fit, you are well and srrong.

fitand ~
wcll ~
well
hcalthy

in good heahh
lit

. ., . .~=t.=:c·
1101 wcll poorly in poor health
vcry weU not very well

[¡] Sickness
Sickncss has a similar mcaning ro illness. Ir is also uscd in thc names of a fcw specific
diseascs, for cxample slecping sickness and 1ravel sickness. Parienrs also ralk a~out
sickness when they mean nausea and vomiting.

1 was sick this morrUng. l was ill ,his morning.

1 fclt unwcll rhis moming.
1vomited rhis morning.
1 fecl sick. 1 fecl ill.
1 fecl unwell.
1 am nauseous.
1 fecl the nced to vornit.

The combination sickncss and diarrhoea means vomiting and diarrhoea.

~ Recovery
Whcn paricnrs remm ro normal hcalth after illness, thcy have recovcrcd. We can also say:

good
n,e paticnt made a full rccovcry.
complc1c

lf a patienr's health is in thc process of returning t<l normal. rhe paticnr is improving. Thc
opposire is dctcriorating. We can also say that ,he patienr's condition improvcd or deteriorated.
In spcech, we often use the vcrb gct 10 ralk about change:
Ov('r (an llness) = to rccover lf 3 parient is bctter, but then gc1s
worsc again, rhe pat1ent has relapsed.
get better : ro improve
Anorher word for improvement,
worsc = tú deteriorme c:spccially in recurring condirions such
:.1s cancer, is remission.
, - - - - -- --_;_:-'---...
He got over the Two years larer she remains
illness very quicklr. in complete rcmission.

10
1.1 Complete rhe rabie with words from A and B opposite. The first one has been don, for you.

fitness ñt
health
illness
sickness
1.2 Make word combinations using a word from each box. Look at B and C opposire ro help you.
complete sickness
feel health
gel remission
poor sick
travel ovcr

1.3 Complete rhe convers;iron. Look ar B opposire 10 help you.

Doctor: How are you feeling toda y'
Paticnt: Not very ( 1) ............................... ,
Doctor: How long have you been feeling (2) ....- ....................... ?
Paricnr: About a week.
Doctor: What is your (3) __ _ _ _ .. like normally?
Patiem: Vcry good. rm usually quite (4) ......- ..................... and (5) _ _ __ _
Doctor: Whar is the probltm now?
Paricnt: lt's my sromach.
Doctor: Do you feel (6) - - -..·· ?
Paticnr: Yes.
Doctor: Have you actually been (7) _ _ _ __
Patienr: No.
Doctor: Have you had any serious (8) _____ in the pasr?
Patienr: 1o, none .ir ali.

1.4 Choose die correct word t() complete each sentence. Look at B and C opposire w help you.
1 Her condition ............................... (deteriorarcdlimproved) and shc dicd.
2 He ................................ (rcbpsed/recovered) and was allowcd to go home from hospital.
3 The cause of sleeping ,............................... (illnesslsickness) was discovered in 1901 .
4 The patient made a full ................................ (remission/recovery).
5 1 have been in ............................... (poor/good) health for months and feel very fi,.
6 Ir was a month bcfore 1................................................................ (gor over / got bcrrcr) the illness.
7 He seems 10 be rather _ _ _ .......... (unhcalthy/unwell) - his dier is bad and he ncvcr
exerciS<.--s.

11
 Parts of the body 1
-.W Parts oí the body
Mo,,1 C'"Tern,11 pan, ol 1lw hod, ha-, o rd in.m ~ n¡:li<h namt, ·" wdl as Jn.uom,c3l 1u1MS.
Oo.:11," nomulh u..c, the ~n,:l"h nJm", C'\m w hcn tJll,ng w ca,h ocher. Therc, are, ,t fcw
e,cepuon\ ,,here docto"' usc thc anatomk.,1111.1111(': thnc are \ho"n in brJd,,.N'\ hrlovi..
1 1aw (rnand,hlr)
2 ned
1 - -- - - 'U. 3 shoulder
2- ---,J..' -./ 4 armpi1 l•"II•
5 upJX'1" arm
6 clbo..
- - 13 7 bad:
14 8 bunock
9 "'rist
15 10 1high
16 11 c.,Jf
12 l<g
17
9 18 7 13 chcs1 (thnra, )
14 hrcast
15 stomxh, rumm)
8- lahdomcn)
10 - ----'--

+
16 na,el (uml>,l1<:us)
17 hip
18 )ltO'll
19
11 - --l
' jmgu111,1l regionl
19 kn<e
12 - - -l-
(parella • kncecap)
1--- - -20 20 sh,n

1 nnb mean, .1rm (uJ>l)d' lunb) or leit 1lo" ct hmb ,. TI,, trunk i< ~ t,,,d) exduJmg rhc
he.id and l,mh-..
~°' a more detJJkd dia¡:ram ,twm,ng pan, of rhe hoJ1. Stt Append,x Ion pa¡:e OO.
Refernng to parts of the body
Whcn paoe111< speak about thc,r prohlcm
oÍlen re fer to a pan of the he.Ji:
lh<") l"m ha,mg troubk .,¡th mi F -houlder.
knce.

l ,hN?
lñe J,1<:"tor olten n<eds to asL. Jhout .t pan
nf rhe hody:
1)o ,ou get ,11l) p;un m
.
~
the
1our ____
., bacl ?
,
~rom,,c1t.
}

Dt:scribi ng radiation oí pai n

A pa11e111 ,s 1dhn14 1he doctor Jhout h,s b.icl pam and the pan, ol the bod) u rad,at<\ to.

( Ir starts in the rock. 1 hen it s«m, 10 go into the right k

\.. buttod: and down me Nd, of thr n¡:ht rh,gh to the ~nte. f
12 l"to{t<tlOMI Enps/1 ln lito Medo>t
2.1 Write the ordinary Engl,sh words for thc corresponding anatomic.11rerms in the table
u~iug your medin1l kuuwk<lgc:. Louk .tt A upposirc ro hclp you.

Analomkal ll'rm Common wnrd

abdomen
axilla
carpus
coxa
cubitus
mammn
nares
parella

2.2 Complere rhe senrences using ordinary Engl ish words. look at A and C opposite to help you.
a A male parienr describi,,g angina pecroris:

lt's like a rightness across my ( l)_. ....... , and it goes up

(21----···· my (3) ·············- - - and into my left
(4) ..,·-·-··········· and (5) ··········-···-··- ······ the lcft (6) .........- - -

b A male patient describi,,g renal colic:

lt srarrs ( 1) · - - -············ thc loin and goes into the

(2) ·-·· and (3) ....·- · -- - imo the resricle.

2.3 Complete the senrcnces. Look at A opposite to hclp you.

Anatomical term Paticnt's statement
1 inguinal swelling l've gor a lump in rhe ....... ................. .
2 abdominal pain My lirrlc boy's gor a _____ .,. ache.
3 periumbilical rash l've got some spors arc>und my ···-· · - - -
4 thoracic pain l've gor a pain in the middle of rhe ...................•...........•
5 enlarged axillary node There's a painful swdling in my ···- - -
6 mandibular pain l've got a pain in my ........ w_ , .., ............... •

2.4 Complete rhe rabie with words from thc box. The firsr one has been done for you.
abdomen clbow loin wrist thigh
knee chesr arm lcg finger

Ove,r .f-o 11ou -~

Makt· a list uf tlw worrls frorn A nppH\Íh· th;1t you find it hard lo n·rnt·mlu:r nr th.11 ynu
necd most often. Try to lcarn at lcast nm· nf thl'lll l'Vt:ry day.

Proftssjoool Engfish in Use Medicine 13

 Parts of the body 2
The abdomen
The main organs of rhe body have ordinary English na mes and docwrs use rhese words.
But when an adjectivt is needed they ofren use an anatomical word. For example, we
can say discase o f the liver or hcparic discasc. Somc abdomina l organs. for exam?lc rhc
pancreas, h:we no ordin:try name.

pancrcas
duodenum ·1omach
gall bladdcr

liver· - - -

splecn

righr kidney

When docrors ralk about rhe main parts of rhe digestive sysrcm, thcy use rhe words bowe.l
o r intcstine: rhe small inrestinc or the small bowcl, rhe large intestine or rhe large bowel.
When speaking ro parients, docrors may refer ro rhe anus and r!'<'rum as rhe back passage.

The chest
TI,e chesr (rhorax) conrains the organs of rcspirarion and rhe hearr. The main parts of rhe
respiratory system are t hc airways and thc lungs. The left lung is divided inro rwo lobes,
and the righr inro rhree. The airways consist of the larynx, rhe rrachea (or windpipe), thc
righr and lefr bronchus, and t he bronchiolcs. The chesr is separared from rhe abdomen by
rhe diaphragm.

The pelvis
A doctor is explaining rhe function of rhe bladder ro a pariem.

Thc bladder is situa:ed in the pelvis, as you know, and ir is connecred ro each kidncy by a
long rube called the urctcr - o ne on each side. The urerers carry the u rine from rhe kidneys
lO lhe Lhu.lJe,, wlicn: h i!,, !,,lUO:J umil you llcd<lt: ro cmpry your bladdcr. \'\1hen thar
happens, rhe urine passes down another rube, called the urethra, ro rhe outside.

14 Professionol English in Uso Median•

3. 1 Label rhe diagram using words from rhe box. Look ar B opposire to help you.
diaphragm lobes windpipe heart
lung ainviys bronchioles

5 _ __

1 ................................

2 ..- - - -

3 _ _ __
4 ....................... ,,.......

3.2 Match che conditions ( 1-S) wirh rhc organs affecred (a-h), using your medica( knowlcdgc.
1 hcpariris a bladder
2 pneumonia b gall bladder
3 ncphriris e hearr
4 gasrric ulcer d kidney
5 cysriris e liver
6 angina pecroris f lung
7 cholocysriris g sromach
8 ulcerarive colitis h large bowel

3.3 Complete rhe rexrbook extraer. Look ar A and C opposirc ro help you.

Examination of the abdomen

To examine the patient for enlarged abdominal (1) ______ first feel for the (2) _ _ _ __
and the (3) _ _ _ _ - - · · ··········· on the ñght side. To do this, ask the patient to take a deep
breath, while pressing with the fingers upwards and inwards. Next, feel for the right (4) ···-·················-······
and then cross over to the other side for the left (5l- - - -·--· . Still on the left side, palpate for an
enlarged (6) ______.. Finally. moving to the lower abdomen. feel for the (8) _ __
which is only felt if it is full.

Ove.r .f-o /10lA ~

Many patients do not know the lotation or function of tht spleen or thl' pantrl·as.
How would you ,·xplain thl'm to a pati,·nt. in English?

Professionol Engfish ;n Use M?dic,'ne 15

 Functions of the body
Eating

You smcU it. lt You rush fO thc

You'rt: hungry. ~,imul.ucs your You c:u m0tt.
You cake il bite toilct, and ger thcre
You'tt in a appetitc - you oí ,.,, food. lt but then
jusl in tiin,e before
rcsraumnt and wam totat. tnsres good and ► suddenly rou
vomiting ali the
the wairer bnn.gs Your mouth )'Ou chcw i1 and taste somcthi11g
food y<m'vc caten.
food. fi.lJing unpk'ásant. You
)'OUr W:'UCI"$, S\"\':tllow ir. Something ha.s
with sahva. fcd nauscous.
di.sagrccd with you.

The five senses

In addirion ro smell and rastc, thc
senses include sighc (or vision), \Vhar is your sighr like'
hearing
hearing, and touch (also calle<!
scnsation or feeling). To ask abour scnsc of smell
Is your sense of rasre normal?
rhe senses, docrors use rhe quesrions:
To ask abour rhe sense of rouch, docrors talk abour
numbness (loss of scnsarion): Have you nodced any numbncss
(in your fingcrs or roes)?
Other functions
Funct,on Vt'rb Nrun
spcaking s¡x-ak speech
walking walk gait
brcathing inhale/ brcathe in / rake a brcarh in brrath
respirarion exhale/ brearhe out
urinarion urinare urine
micruririon micrurare
pass uri.ne / pass water
ddooirion defecare faect'S
pass faeces / pass stools srools
mensrruarion menstruare (menstrual) period
ha ve a pcriod (monrhly) period
When ta ·mg a 11srory, docrors can as k·:
~
When ausculrating a patient's
rrouble walking'
lungs, rhe doctor tells thc patiem:
brearhing?
difficulry
Do you have any problcms passing urine? 1ake a deep brcarh in, hold
wirh your speech? your brearh, rhen brearhe
pain when you brearhe in? out completely.

Less common functions

There are some things we do less often. \"(lhen we are hor, we swcar. When we are
nervous, we shake. \Vhcn we are sad~ we cry,
Doctors can ask:
swcar
Do you more than usual?
shake

16 Prof•ssionol Engroh in Use Med,ane

4.1 Match che symptoms ( 1-5) co the qucstions (a-e), using your medica! knowledge.
1 dysuria a \Xfl1m i::. youc bfe,nhins likc?
2 dysphagia b Do you ha ve any pain when you pass water?
3 diplopía e Do you havc any difRculty with your spccch?
4 dysphasia d Do you have any rrouble swallowing?
5 dyspnoea e Is your vision normal?

4.2 Patiencs are describing S)111pcoms of che condicions shown in brackecs. Complete the
sencenccs. Look ac C and D opposice co help you.
1 l've got pain and ......- -- -· in boch feec. (peripheral neuropathy)
2 l'm having difliculC)•................................ solid food. (oesophageal scricture)
3 1 have a lot oí problems .........- - - - ................................ . (prostatic hypercrophy)
4 l've been .............................. . more rhan usual, e,•en when it's nor hot. (hyperthyroidisrr.)
5 l'vc noticed rhar my hands ................................ when l'm nor using them. (Parkinsonism)
6 1 have rrouble .. - - - -.. -· whcn I climb rhe stairs. (left hearr failure)

4.3 Complere thc senrences. Look at A, B, C and D opposire co help you.

1
When I ear solid food, 1 have to _____ ........ (bire/chcw) it
for a long time before I can .....- ..................... (swallow/ea1) ir.

2 ,......- - -- - - - - - -- - -- - -- ---'
Do you have any pain whcn you ..........- ................. (pass/have) srools?

3
1 have no ........... - ............... (rasrc/appetite) and
l've losr five kilos in the lasc few weeks.

4 ,......---------------✓
When did you lasr ............................... (have/pass) a pcriod?

5,. . . - - - -- - -- - -- - -- - ---..../
The garden is foil oí ílowers, but lll)' ............. - ................ (sense/sensarion)
of smell has disapp;ared and I can't cnjoy the perfume.

6
( Takc a deep - - · - - - - (brearhe/breath) in.

Over .f-o 11ou ~

You think a patient may have diabetes. Think uf five questions you can ask th,· paticnt to
invl'stigak further. Try to use· the question typl'S presented in this unit.

Pro(essionot Enpsh in Use Mediáne 17

 Básico

BIBLIOGRAFÍA
• GLENDINNING, E. H. y HOWARD, R. Basics. En GLENDINNING, E. H. y
HOWARD, R. Professional English in use (pp: 10-16). Cambridge University Press.
Cambridge, Reino Unido.1

1
Uso con fines académicos