English Vocabulary for Pain and Medical Symptoms

Pain Vocabulary

Intensity/Distress

Intensity = Intensidad * Distress = Angustia

• Mild = Leve * Excruciating = Insoportable
• Burning = Incendio * Sharp = Agudo
• Throbbing = Palpitante * Moderate = Moderado
• Constant = Constante * Unbearable = Inaguantable
• Intermittent = Disparo * Shooting = Tiroteo

Pain Levels

• No pain = Sin dolor
• Moderate pain = Dolor moderado
• Severe pain = Dolor severo
• Very severe pain = Dolor muy severo
• Unbearable pain = Dolor inaguantable

Other Symptoms

• Cough = Tos * Earache = Dolor de oído
• Headache = Dolor de cabeza
• Nauseous = Náuseas
• Skin rash = Erupción cutánea
• Sweaty = Sudoroso * Tired = Cansado
• Dizzy = Mareado * Fever = Fiebre
• Itchy = Picazón * Wheeze = Sibilancias
• Runny nose = Secreción nasal
• Sore throat = Dolor de garganta
• Stomachache = Dolor de estómago
• Swollen glands = Glándulas inflamadas

Comparative Sentences

Sentences of Equality

• Lucia is as fast as Maikel.
• Marta is as hardworking as Elena.

Intermittent/Shooting

1. The pain in my foot is intermittent; it comes and goes throughout the day.
2. A shooting pain starts and ends very quickly.

Constant/Unbearable

1. He screamed because the pain was absolutely unbearable.
2. The pain in her stomach was constant; it hurt from morning to night.

Intensity/Distress

1. The woman's distress was clear when she called an ambulance in a panic.
2. The wound didn't hurt at first, but the intensity of the pain increased as time went on.

Mild/Excruciating

1. I have a mild headache, but otherwise I feel just fine.
2. The pain was so excruciating that she began to cry.

Burning/Sharp

1. There's a burning pain in my lower back; it feels like it's on fire.
2. He felt a sharp, sudden pain in his arm, but it quickly subsided.

Throbbing/Moderate

1. Is the pain moderate or does it hurt very badly?
2. His toe was throbbing after he hit it against the edge of the table.

Sentences of Superiority

• This book is more interesting than that one.
• Japan is more expensive than Canada.

Sentences of Inferiority

• My car is less fuel-efficient than yours.
• Lorena is less intelligent than Pedro.

Comparative Adverbs

1. Jeff works more quietly than Steve does.
2. Mary runs faster than John.
3. James plays tennis better than Charlie.
4. I forget things more often now than before.

Superlative Adverbs

1. Anne is the student that runs the fastest.
2. On that test, I did the worst in the class.
3. Lisa is the one that sings the most beautifully in the band.
4. Clive is the student that gets to school the earliest.