Describing Pain and Injury: English Vocabulary List

experiencing a consistent yet dull physical pain in a part of one's body

"My legs feel achy."

"After the long hike, my entire body felt achy and tired."

causing a lot of difficulty, pain, distress, or discomfort

"The pain was agonizing."

"The pain was agonizing and he screamed until the paramedics gave him morphine."

causing severe damage or limitation, often making it difficult to function normally

"The injury was crippling."

"The crippling effects of the disease made it impossible for her to work."

causing extreme pain or discomfort

"The headache was excruciating."

"He described the excruciating pain in his back after the accident."

causing an annoying feeling on the skin that makes a person want to scratch it

"The rash is itchy."

"The mosquito bites on my arms were incredibly itchy all night long."

in a way that causes physical or emotional pain

"He learned painfully."

"The teenager painfully learned that lying to his parents had consequences when they took away his phone for an entire month."

extremely intense and severe

"She has a raging cough."

"The patient's raging infection required immediate and aggressive medical treatment."

(of a person's style or clothes) dressy and fashionable, often conveying a sense of sophistication and elegance.

"His suit looks sharp."

"His impeccably tailored suit and polished shoes gave him a sharp and sophisticated appearance at the gala."

characterized by an intense fear of situations or places that might cause feelings of panic or helplessness

"He is agoraphobic."

"He is agoraphobic and cannot leave his house without having a panic attack."

pertaining to a medical condition characterized by inflammation and pain in the joints

"Her hands are arthritic."

"Her hands are arthritic and the knuckles are swollen and painful to move."

acting extremely unintelligent, foolish, or incapable of thinking clearly

"That idea is brain-dead."

"His brain-dead approach to the problem led to a complete disaster."

temporarily dizzy or unconscious after a bump, blow, or jolt to the head

"The player is concussed."

"The player is concussed and must sit out the rest of the game for his safety."

having a learning disorder that affects a person's ability to read, write, and spell

"He is dyslexic."

"He is dyslexic and has trouble reading because the letters seem to move around on the page."

associated with a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures

"She is epileptic."

"She is epileptic and must take medication every day to prevent seizures."

affected by a condition where skin and underlying tissues freeze due to exposure to extremely cold temperatures

"His toes are frostbitten."

"His toes are frostbitten and the doctor said he might lose them if the tissue dies."

lacking control over bowel or bladder functions, often resulting in involuntary leakage

"The elderly man is incontinent."

"The elderly man is incontinent and wears adult diapers because he cannot control his bladder."

affected by a chronic infectious disease causing skin lesions and nerve damage

"The leprous man lived alone."

"The leprous man lived alone because people were afraid of catching his disease."

affected by a lack of proper nutrition, resulting in inadequate nourishment for overall well-being

"The refugee is malnourished."

"The refugee is malnourished and has not had enough food to eat for many months."

related to conditions causing inflammation and pain in joints, muscles, or connective tissues

"She has rheumatic pain."

"She has rheumatic pain in her joints that gets worse when the weather is cold and damp."

characterized by a condition involving abnormal hardening or thickening of tissues

"His arteries are sclerotic."

"His arteries are sclerotic and hardened which increases his risk of having a heart attack."

having open sores or wounds, often causing discomfort or pain

"The wound is ulcerated."

"The wound is ulcerated and has open sores that are not healing properly despite treatment."

having a sensation of dizziness or a feeling of spinning, often associated with balance or inner ear issues

"The height is vertiginous."

"The height is vertiginous and looking down from the edge makes me feel dizzy and sick."

harmed or injured

"He got banged up in the accident."

"He got banged up in the accident but luckily nothing was broken or seriously injured."

damaged by or injured with extreme heat due to having contact with heated objects or exposure to harmful chemicals

"The skin was burnt."

"The toast is burnt and black on the edges so I will make a fresh piece."

causing physical or mental harm or injury

"The words were bruising."

"The constant criticism from his boss was emotionally bruising and demoralizing."