General Nouns Related to Health and Sickness: English Vocabulary List

the state of being physically or mentally sick

"Illness kept him home."

"The illness spread quickly through the village."

an illness in a human, animal, or plant that affects health

"The disease is serious."

"Doctors worked hard to stop the disease."

the rapid spread of an infectious disease within a specific population, community, or region, affecting a significant number of individuals at the same time

"The epidemic spread very fast."

"The government implemented strict quarantine measures to control the epidemic before it reached neighboring countries."

any disease or virus that can be easily passed from one person to another

"The contagion spread quickly through the whole crowded city."

"The government closed the schools and canceled public events to prevent the contagion from spreading rapidly through the community."

a state of pain or suffering due to a physical or mental condition

"He suffers from affliction."

"The painful affliction lasted for many years."

a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by stress, overwork, or a lack of balance between work and personal life

"Burnout empties her completely."

"Burnout from overwork left her feeling emotionally exhausted and completely detached from her job."

a mild state of being unwell, often leading to a temporary inability to perform one's usual activities

"She missed the party due to a sudden indisposition."

"His sudden indisposition forced him to cancel all of his meetings for the entire week."

the state of being weak and unhealthy, especially due to old age or sickness

"Old age brought infirmity."

"The once vibrant woman was now frail and suffering from various infirmities."

a state of severe mental disorder affecting a person's ability to understand reality, think rationally, or behave in a socially acceptable manner

"The verdict was not guilty by reason of insanity."

"The defense lawyer argued that the crime was committed during a period of temporary insanity."

a bodily system or organ's failure to function in an effective or typical manner

"Adrenal insufficiency requires lifelong medication."

"Adrenal insufficiency occurs when the adrenal glands do not produce enough of certain essential hormones."

a feeling of being physically ill and irritated without knowing the reason

"He felt a general malaise and could not get out of bed."

"Malaise is a vague feeling of physical discomfort and unease"

conditions affecting how a person thinks, feels, behaves, or their mood, often needing medical or therapeutic help

"Mental illness needs treatment."

"Understanding and support are crucial for individuals dealing with mental illness."

a swollen area under the skin, usually caused by a sickness or injury

"She felt a lump"

"She felt a lump in her neck and decided to visit the doctor for a medical examination"

any physical damage to a part of the body caused by an accident or attack

"He has a knee injury."

"The athlete suffered a serious injury during the game and had to be taken to the hospital immediately."

the outbreak of a contagious illness among the people of a particular region where the source of the infection is not easily traceable

"Community spread makes containment difficult."

"Community spread of the virus made it very difficult to trace the original source of infection."

a harmful state in which the body has lost a lot of water

"Severe dehydration can be dangerous if you do not drink enough water."

"Hikers should always carry plenty of water to prevent dehydration during long treks in the summer heat."

the act of aggravating a disease, pain, illness, etc.

"The exacerbation lands him in the hospital."

"The exacerbation of his asthma was triggered by pollen and required immediate medical treatment."

any physical problem that might put one's health in danger

"The doctor tried to find the cause of his strange malady."

"The mysterious malady left him bedridden for weeks without any clear diagnosis from the doctors."

the feeling of discomfort in the stomach, often with the urge to vomit

"The rough sea crossing caused a sudden wave of nausea."

"Motion sickness nausea is caused by a sensory conflict between what the eyes see and what the inner ear's delicate balance system senses."

the condition of having an unhealthy pale appearance as a result of illness, emotional distress, etc.

"Her pallor concerns the doctor."

"The sudden pallor of her face concerned the nurse who immediately checked her blood pressure."

any organism that can cause diseases

"A pathogen is a tiny germ that can make you very sick."

"Scientists identified a new pathogen that had been spreading rapidly throughout the local community."

the first person known to have a certain disease, often seen as the starting point of an outbreak

"Patient zero was the first person infected."

"The epidemiologist worked tirelessly to identify patient zero who first brought the virus into the country before it spread widely."

a state of extreme thinness and weakness, often due to illness, starvation, etc.

"The illness caused extreme emaciation."

"The emaciation of the rescued prisoners shocked the relief workers who had never seen such suffering."

severe physical or mental pain

"The injured animal was in obvious agony and needed a vet immediately."

"Agony is an extreme and prolonged feeling of physical or emotional pain that is so intense it becomes almost impossible to bear without relief."

a state of deep unconsciousness, typically of a long duration and caused by a serious injury or severe illness

"Patient fell into deep coma."

"The patient fell into a deep coma after the serious car accident and doctors are monitoring his condition carefully now."

someone who spreads a contagious disease to a very large number of people

"The superspreader infected many people quickly."

"One superspreader at the party infected many other guests with the contagious virus."

the state of not being awake or aware of one's surroundings

"He fell unconscious."

"The blow to the head caused temporary unconsciousness, leaving him disoriented when he awoke."

a condition in which individuals do not receive enough nutrients and calories, leading to various health problems such as stunted growth

"Undernourishment stunts children's growth."

"Chronic undernourishment in children can lead to stunted growth and developmental delays."

‌the return of symptoms or a condition after a period of improvement or recovery

"The relapse follows a period of recovery."

"The cancer patient suffered a relapse just six months after completing her chemotherapy treatment."

a reflexive movement of the body or part of it caused by cold, fear, or excitement

"The old man has a constant shake."

"The old man had a noticeable shake in his hands when he tried to drink his coffee."

the act of blowing air out of your nose and mouth in a forceful way

"She had to sneeze suddenly."

"He tried to cover his mouth every time he felt a sneeze coming to avoid spreading germs."

a growth with abnormal features that appears in the body and contains fluid

"The doctor found a small cyst."

"The doctor found a small fluid filled cyst on the patient's ovary during the routine ultrasound examination."

physical weakness that is caused by a disease or aging

"Debility keeps her bedridden for months."

"The long illness caused severe debility and left him too weak to walk without help."