Learn MEDICAL Vocabulary in English

Main Ideas and Concepts (Medical Vocabulary for Travelers)

• The lesson introduces medical vocabulary in English using a practical breakdown of common situations travelers may face in English-speaking countries.
• Health terms are grouped into three categories:
  • Injuries
  • Illnesses
  • Diseases
• The categories differ by:
  • Where the problem is in the body (body location)
  • How long it lasts / severity (duration and seriousness)

Detailed Breakdown of the Categories

1) Injuries

Definition / Focus

• An injury is always related to the physical body.
• It involves bones, tissues, skin, and similar physical structures.

Common Injury Types Mentioned

• Wound
  • A wound happens when something physically harms your body.
• Burn
  • Example: touching a hot stove / hot plate.
  • Typical effects: it hurts, and you might apply lotion and care for it.
• Break
  • Example contexts: skiing accidents, bicycling/trail biking falls.
  • Effects: you can break a leg/arm or “break something.”
  • Related concept: crack
    • A bone can be cracked (meaning the bone broke).
• Sprain
  • A sprain is like an almost break.
  • Example: you twist your ankle during a fall.
  • Typical effects described:
    • the area becomes swollen/puffy
    • bruising (“blue and black”)
    • very painful
  • You might not be able to walk, but the bone isn’t necessarily broken.

2) Illnesses

Definition / Focus

• An illness is inside the body.
• It is usually shorter in duration.
• Often, you can get rid of it or fix it.

Synonyms

• Illness = sickness (presented as equivalent)

Examples Mentioned

• Cold
  • Includes symptoms like coughing, sneezing, etc.
• Flu
  • Commonly comes with a fever.
  • “Flu” is a shorter form of influenza.
• Bug
  • “Bug” is used to mean a virus.
  • Common phrase: “There’s a bug going around.”
  • Explanation given: germs spread (e.g., people cough or touch shared surfaces), and then the next day you feel ill.

3) Diseases

Definition / Focus

• A disease is described as more severe/harsh.
• It is also inside the body, but typically:
  • lasts a long time
  • can be life-threatening

Key Subcategories / Related Terms

• Chronic
  • The condition continues and does not go away.
  • Example: a chronic cough.
• Benign
  • Example context: a tumor/test result may be benign.
  • Meaning: not dangerous and won’t develop into the disease.
• Terminal
  • Means end/final.
  • If you have a terminal disease, you are likely to die.
  • Cancer is given as an example of a terminal disease in most cases, with nuance that it can sometimes go away temporarily but can return.

Healing and Treatment Verbs (How Actions Differ by Category)

• Injuries: “heal”

  • You heal an injury over time.
  • Example: a broken bone heals after medical help and time.

• Illnesses: “remedy”

  • A remedy is something used to fix an illness.
  • “Remedy” can be:
    • a noun: “go for a remedy”
    • a verb: “remedy the illness”

• Diseases: “treat” and “cure”

  • You treat a disease over time.
  • A cure may exist for some diseases.
  • “Cure” is presented as something that might lead to being fixed/ending the disease, but not always.

Doctor-Related Vocabulary (Types of Doctors)

The speaker notes there are many ways to refer to “doctor”:

• Physician
  • A person who takes care of sick people.
• Pediatrician
  • A specific type of doctor (commonly for children; also mentioned in relation to a “family doctor”).
• Degree/title alternatives:
  • MD (Medical Doctor)
  • Doctor of Medicine
  • Similar formal title phrasing

Speakers / Sources Featured

• Adam (host/teacher; “I’m Adam.”)
• www.engvid.com (website referenced for quizzes and learning materials)