English for Beginners - Illnesses Vocabulary

How do I say “I have a headache” in English? What if I get sick and I don’t know how to explain my symptoms to the doctor?

Don’t give up, Diana and I want to help you so you’ll be able to express your illnesses in English and that’s why we have made a new learning guide. This time it’s a complete English vocabulary list about the most common types of pain and illnesses.

Let’s begin with a general question:

How do you feel?

I feel…
Sick
Tired
Nauseated
Like I have a fever
I’m burning up
Like my head is going to explode


The types of pain that you can suffer are:

Sharp
Dull
Throbbing
Tingling sensation
Burning
Ache


Let’s specify and concentrate on the pains and illnesses related to the head, nose, throat, stomach, muscles and skin.



Head
Headache
Fever
concussion

Nose
Nosebleed
Sneeze
Runny nose
Itchy nose
Sore nose

Throat
Cough
Dry Throat
Sore Throat

Stomach
Stomach ache
Vomit
Nausea

Muscles
Cramps
Strain

Skin
Rash
Burn
Cut
Graze
Bruise
Fracture
Sunburn
Bite
Sting
Blister

It’s also worthy to know some of the typical illnesses such as:

Cold
Flu
Mumps
Depression
Measles
AIDS
Cancer
Diabetes
Herpes
STD (Sexually Transmitted disease)
Skin fungus
Anemia
Anorexia
Dehydration
An Ear Ache
Hemorroides
Hypertension
Obesity
Varicose veins
Vertigo
Asthma
Bird flu
Osteoporosis
Gastritis
Heartburn
Cardiovascular disease


Some examples

I haven’t had a cold for 3 months.

I only eat soup when I have the flu.

I get headaches if I drink too much coffee or coke.

The boxer got hit in the face and got a nosebleed.

I usually get a fever when I have the flu.

My sister got a concussion when she fell of her bike.

I was cleaning my office last week, and there was so much dust that I started sneezing.

Do you have a Kleenex? I have a runny nose.

My nose is always itchy in the spring, because of all the pollen.

When I have a cold, I blow my nose so much that it gets really sore.

Did you know there are different kinds of coughs? Dry coughs and wet ones too.

How do you deal with a sore throat?

I always get a stomach ache after eating theatre popcorn.

I hate vomiting. I have very little control over it and tend to just vomit where I am.

Whenever I get nausea I drink some ginger ale that I have let go flat (released the gas).

After my gym class my muscles are sore but they are not strained.

Lots of women get cramps during their periods.

I don’t have sensitive skin but I get a rash if I wear anything made of gold.

I burnt my hand last year with oil, when I was frying potato chips.

One of the most painful cuts is a paper cut.

Last weekend I fell of my bike and grazed my hands.

The man got punched in the face and it left a purple bruise around his eye.

She fractured some ribs after falling on the ski hill.

Tourists always seem to get sunburns at the beach

Mosquito bites are so itchy.

I have never been stung by a bee.

This document has been written in collaboration with Diana Tower, an English teacher with 3 years teaching experience. She is also the author of the free Web page Helping you learn English.

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