Vocabulary Exercise B [B1+]
HOW THE PATIENT FEELS (SUBJECTIVE)
Most patients do not use technical terms to describe how they feel. Instead they use layman language (normal, non-medical terms) and idioms, especially when they feel very well or very poorly. Some common idioms include:
killing me = severe pain
- My ankle is killing me.
stiff as a board = joint spasm or muscle stiffness
- My neck is as stiff as a board in the morning.
out of sorts = not feeling right e.g. vague or mild pain, spasm, nausea or so on
- My back feels out of sorts.
off my food = no appetite
skin and bones = very thin
- Since the stroke, my dad’s gone off his food and he’s nearly skin and bones now.
black out = to lose consciousness; to faint
- I felt fine when I left the Emergency Department last night, but this morning I blacked out again. So I’ve come back.
fill a prescription = get medication the doctor has from the pharmacy
get out and about = go out to shop and meet friends
- The pharmacy fills the prescriptions and brings them to the house. My dad can’t get out and about at the moment.
run in the family = a condition common in a family
- My mother and uncle both had bad osteoarthritis of the knees. It runs in the family. So I know about knee replacement surgery.
take it easy = not work too hard; go at a slower pace and relax more
on the go = be very active
- It has been hard for my dad to take it easy since his stroke. He used to be a business owner. He was always on the go.
READING EXERCISE B
How the patient is feeling
Instructions: Read what the patients or health professionals say, and choose the answer that best summarises each situation.