Advanced Speaking: Illness & Health Vocabulary In English

I’ve got a splitting headache, I’m hoping  it doesn’t turn into a migraine. The last  

time I had a migraine I couldn’t work, I  had to phone in sick three days in a row.  

My GP thinks it may be something to do with  my eyesight, he has suggested that I go to  

see a specialist, he offered to refer  me but I decided to go private instead.

Hi everyone, Anna here from  Englishlikeanative.com. I don't really  

have a headache, it's just today we are learning  about 30 advanced phrases to use when talking  

about health. Now this lesson has been kindly  sponsored by Lingoda, but more about them later.

So first on our list of phrases is: * aches and pains: minor pains that  

continue over a period of time * (Headache, migraine,  

backache, stomach/tummy/bellyache) * Splitting headache

* to be a bit off colour: to feel a little ill * to be under the weather:  (informal) to not feel well

* to feel poorly: to feel ill

* to be at death’s door: (informal) to be very ill  indeed

* to be on the mend: to be recovering after an illness

* to be over the worst: to have got through the most serious or uncomfortable stage of an illness.

* as fit as a fiddle: to be very healthy 

I do love phrases like this, fit as a fiddle It reminds me of a song from the musical 'Singing In The Rain'.

And they have a song called...Fit as a fiddle (sings)...Anyway look it up. It's a good way to remember a phrase.

Is if it appears in music.

* a blocked nose: when the nose  has excess fluid due to a cold 

* To be bunged up - this means to either  be constipated or to have a blocked nose. 

* to catch a cold: to get a cold * to get the sniffles - to get a cold 

* a check-up: a physical examination by a doctor * a chesty cough: a cough caused by congestion around the lungs

*  to go down with a cold / the flu: to become ill

* a heavy cold: a bad cold

* a runny nose: a nose that  has liquid coming out of it

* a sore throat:  inflammation that causes pain when swallowing

* to pull a muscle: to strain a muscle * cuts and bruises: minor injuries 

* escape without a scratch / didn’t have a  scratch: to come away from an accident or incident without any sign of injury. 

* Loss of appetite:  to not feel hungry

* to go private:  to choose to be treated by commercial healthcare  rather than by services offered by the state 

* GP: General Practitioner (family doctor)

* See a specialist: someone who specialises in a certain area of medicine

* to have a filling: to have a tooth repaired

* to have a tooth out: to have a tooth removed

* to make an appointment: to arrange a time to see the doctor

* to make a speedy recovery:  to recover quickly from an illness

* to phone in sick: to call work to explain you won’t be  attending work due to illness