Essential Health and Medical Terminology Reference

Essential Health and Medical Terminology

General Health States

• Health: A good natural condition of the body.
• Ill: Not in good health; sick (Spanish: *no encontrarse bien*).
• Disease: (Spanish: *enfermedad*) A more or less serious disorder of the body.
• Ailment: (Spanish: *achaque*) An illness.

Experiencing Illness and Pain

Symptoms and Conditions

• Suffer: (Spanish: *sufrir*) To experience, especially over a long period of time.
• Fall ill: (Spanish: *caer enfermo*) To become ill.
• Pain: A feeling in a particular part of the body.
• Ache: A continuous pain.
• Hurt: (Spanish: *herir*) To cause pain of any kind; to damage.
• Sore throat: Pain in the throat.
• Headache: Pain in the head.

Specific Ailments and Incidents

• Breakdown: (Spanish: *colapso*) A loss of mental health through having troubles.
• Faint: (Spanish: *desmayarse*) To lose consciousness.
• Infarto: A sudden failure in the working of the heart.
• Influenza: (Spanish: *gripe*) A disease like a bad cold but more serious.
• Cough: To make the sound of clearing the throat.
• Measles: (Spanish: *sarampión*).
• Chickenpox: (Spanish: *varicela*).
• Smallpox: (Spanish: *viruela*).
• Mumps: (Spanish: *paperas*).

Injury and Medical Examination

Injuries and Accidents

• Wound: (Spanish: *herida grave*) Damage to the body, especially by a bullet.
• Injure: (Spanish: *herir*) To cause damage, especially in accidents.
• Casualty: (Spanish: *heridos en accidente*) A person hurt in an accident.
• Scar: (Spanish: *cicatriz*) A mark left on a part of the body after damage.

Medical Care and Treatment

• Check-up: A general medical examination.
• Treatment: The act of trying to cure by medical means.
• Injection: (Spanish: *vacuna*).
• Shot: To give an injection.

Healthcare Professionals and Facilities

Key Personnel

• Family Doctor: (Spanish: *médico de cabecera*) A general practitioner.
• Patient: A sick person receiving treatment.
• Surgeon: Someone who operates on sick people.
• Psychiatrist: Person who helps people with mental problems.
• Midwife: Person who helps at the birth of a baby.

Facilities and Appointments

• Operating Theatre: (Spanish: *quirofano*) The room where operations are performed in a hospital.
• Ward: (Spanish: *ala de hospital*) A large room in a hospital.
• Chemist: Pharmacy (Spanish: *farmacia*).
• Appointment: (Spanish: *cita*).

Infection and Public Health

Infectious Diseases

• Outbreak: (Spanish: *brote*) A sudden appearance or beginning of a dangerous disease.
• Infect: To put disease into a body.
• Pass on: (Spanish: *contagiar*) To give infection to someone else.

Public Services

• N.H.S: (Spanish: *servicio nacional de salud*) National Health Service.
• Eligible: To have the right (Spanish: *tener derecho*).
• Benefits: (Spanish: *subsidio*).

Physical States and Abilities

• Body: (Spanish: *cuerpo*).
• Elderly: Older people (Spanish: *gente mayor*).
• Physical Disabled: (Spanish: *discapacitado fisico*).
• Mentally Handicapped: (Spanish: *discapacitado mental*).
• Blind: (Spanish: *ciego*) Unable to see.
• Deaf: (Spanish: *sordo*) Unable to hear.
• Dumb: (Spanish: *mudo*) Unable to speak.
• Lame: (Spanish: *cojo*) Unable to walk properly.

Environmental and Movement Terms

Water and Terrain

• Drown: To die through submersion in water.
• Dive: (Spanish: *zambullirse*) To plunge into water.
• Shallow: Not deep (Spanish: *poco profundo*).
• Depth: (Spanish: *profundidad*).
• Cliffs: Steep rock faces.
• Ropes: (Spanish: *cuerdas*).
• Peak: Summit (Spanish: *cima*).
• Range: A line of mountains (Spanish: *cordillera*).

Environment and Ground

• Environment: (Spanish: *medioambiente*) The natural conditions.
• Soil: (Spanish: *sustrato*) The usually soft material on the ground.
• Landscape: (Spanish: *paisaje*) A wide view of country scenery.
• To Spoil: To ruin.

Miscellaneous Terms

• Advice: Counsel given (noun).
• Advise: To offer counsel (verb).
• Low Incomes: (Spanish: *ingresos bajos*).
• Pace: Speed or rhythm (Spanish: *ritmo*).