Health Condition: English Vocabulary List

a heart beat that is very irregular or too fast

"He felt a sudden palpitation in his chest from stress."

"A palpitation is an abnormally rapid or irregular heartbeat that a person becomes acutely aware of"

the infection and inflammation of air sacs in one's lungs, usually caused by a bacterial infection that makes breathing difficult

"Pneumonia makes breathing very difficult."

"Pneumonia is a serious respiratory infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs"

a medical condition during which mucus accumulates in one's nose, throat, or sinuses and blocks them

"The catarrh made his voice sound nasal and stuffy."

"The common cold often causes catarrh which leads to a stuffy nose and excess mucus production."

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"

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."

an injury or wound to living tissue, often involving a cut, break, or trauma to the skin

"The scan showed a small lesion on the patient's liver."

"The dermatologist examined the dark lesion on the patient's arm and decided to take a small sample for further testing."

a lesion or sore on the skin that might bleed or even produce a poisonous substance

"The doctor treated the painful ulcer in his stomach."

"An ulcer is an open sore on an internal or external surface of the body that fails to heal"

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."

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 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."

the prevalence of disease or injury within a specific population over a particular period

"Researchers studied morbidity rates among elderly patients"

"High morbidity rates indicate widespread illness in the population."

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."

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 person who is excessively concerned about their health and often believes they are ill

"He is valetudinarian."

"The valetudinarian old man visited the doctor at least once a week to complain about minor aches and pains that worried him constantly."

severely affected by a harmful condition or troubling emotion

"The village was stricken."

"The poverty stricken village had no clean water or electricity and the children walked miles every day to attend a crowded school."

energetic and agile, especially in older age

"My grandfather is still spry."

"The spry elderly woman still played tennis every weekend and she often beat opponents who were half her age."

relating to a health condition where a person has a lower than normal number of red blood cells, causing fatigue and weakness

"The patient is anemic."

"The patient felt weak and tired because she was anemic so the doctor prescribed iron supplements to help her produce more red blood cells."

suffering from an illness or injury

"The ailing dog needed care."

"The ailing monarch was too weak to attend the coronation ceremony and remained in his chambers."

yellowish, sickly, or lacking in healthy color

"His skin is sallow."

"The sick child's skin was sallow and pale and his mother knew that he needed to see a doctor immediately."

feeling or appearing completely exhausted

"He feels spent."

"After running the marathon the athlete felt completely spent and he collapsed on the grass to rest his exhausted body."

abnormally pale, lacking in color, and often associated with illness, shock, or a lack of vitality

"Her face is pallid."

"His face was pallid and clammy from the fever, indicating a serious illness that required immediate medical attention."

weakened and depleted of strength or vitality

"He felt enervated."

"The long flight left her feeling enervated and she could barely keep her eyes open during the taxi ride to the hotel."

indicating or promoting healthiness and well-being

"The climate is salubrious."

"The salubrious climate of the coastal town attracts retirees who want to escape harsh winters and enjoy fresh air and sunshine all year."

related to a state in which an individual's immune system is weakened or impaired, making them more susceptible to infections and illnesses

"The patient is immunocompromised."

"The immunocompromised patient must avoid contact with sick people because her weakened immune system cannot fight off even minor infections."

(of a disease) not showing any symptoms associated with it

"She is asymptomatic."

"Many people with the virus are asymptomatic which means they show no symptoms but they can still spread the disease to others."

a condition where an excess amount of blood or other fluid accumulates in a part of the body, leading to swelling or discomfort

"My nose has congestion."

"The doctor diagnosed a severe nasal congestion, causing him considerable discomfort and difficulty breathing."

a short period during which someone is suffering from an illness

"He had a sudden bout of coughing during the night."

"The elderly man had a severe bout of pneumonia last winter that kept him in the hospital for nearly two weeks."

a person who has an eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight and severe food restriction

"The anorexic patient needs professional help."

"The patient was severely underweight and had been diagnosed as anorexic refusing to eat enough food because she had a distorted body image and an intense fear of gaining weight."

relating to a health condition where a person has a lower than normal number of red blood cells, causing fatigue and weakness

"The patient is anemic."

"The patient is anemic and needs to take iron supplements to boost her red blood cell count."

looking pale due to being sick or in poor health

"He looked ghastly pale."

"After a week of severe illness, her face had become ghastly and she looked very weak and frail."

relating to a disease or condition that is commonly found in a specific area or group of people

"The disease is endemic."

"The malaria is endemic to tropical regions and travelers are advised to take preventive medication before visiting areas where the disease is common."