Physical Conditions and Injuries: English Vocabulary List

‌an unusual feature in someone's body or behavior that may be harmful, caused by duplication or deletion of a single gene

"The medical scan showed no abnormality."

"The genetic abnormality was detected during the prenatal screening test last month."

a swollen area on the skin filled with liquid, caused by constant rubbing or by burning

"A blister formed on skin."

"A blister is a small pocket of fluid that forms on the skin due to friction"

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."

an illness, often a minor one

"His ailment was not serious."

"A psychosomatic ailment is a physical illness caused or significantly aggravated by a mental factor such as stress"

a momentary loss of consciousness provoked by a hard blow on the head

"The athlete suffered concussion after the hard collision"

"He couldn't play in the game because of his recent concussion."

a sudden, uncontrollable tightening or contraction of a muscle

"Muscle spasm occurred."

"A sudden muscle spasm occurred in her leg while she was running yesterday afternoon."

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"

a complete or partial loss of the ability to move and feel different parts of one's body, mainly caused by disease or an injury to the nerves

"Temporary paralysis occurred."

"He experienced temporary paralysis in his legs after the spinal injury last year."

a sudden painful contraction in a muscle due to fatigue

"My leg has a cramp."

"He experienced a sudden, sharp cramp in his calf muscle while swimming laps at the pool."

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"

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."

a medical condition in which one has difficulty emptying one's bowels

"Chronic constipation problem."

"She suffers from chronic constipation problem that requires dietary changes and medicine regularly."

a medical condition in which body waste turns to liquid and comes out frequently

"The traveler got diarrhea from drinking the dirty water in the village."

"After eating the spoiled food, he suffered from diarrhea and had to stay home from work."

(of an illness) difficult to cure and long-lasting

"He has chronic pain."

"The patient suffers from chronic back pain that has not improved despite trying many different treatments and medications over several years."

related to or characterized by the presence of cancer, a disease caused by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells

"The tumor is cancerous."

"The tumor is cancerous so the doctors will need to remove it immediately and then start chemotherapy."

(of a disease) transmittable from one person to another through close contact

"The flu is contagious."

"The disease is extremely contagious so anyone who has been in contact must stay home for two weeks."

(of a disease or characteristic) able to be passed on to a child through the genes of its parents

"The disease is hereditary."

"The disease is hereditary and can be passed from parents to their children through their genes."

having a disease since birth that is not necessarily hereditary

"The condition is congenital."

"The condition is congenital and was present at birth even though it was not discovered until later."

(of a body part or wound) infected by harmful bacteria

"The wound became septic."

"The wound became septic and the patient had to be hospitalized for intravenous antibiotics."

relating to or caused by an illness or disease

"It is pathological."

"The doctor suspected a pathological condition was causing the patient's unusual symptoms."

being in a state of coma or relating to coma

"The patient is comatose."

"The patient is comatose and has been unconscious for three weeks after the car accident."

to make a problem, situation, or condition worse or more serious

"His rude comments aggravated the situation."

"His constant complaining only served to aggravate the tense situation between the two coworkers."

to recover from a disease or injury

"She needs time to recuperate."

"She went to her parents' house to recuperate after being discharged from the hospital following her surgery."

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 physical condition in which a part of the body becomes swollen, painful, and red as a result of an infection or injury

"Inflammation caused swelling."

"The doctor noticed significant inflammation around the wound and prescribed an antibiotic cream."

a painful spot on the skin, which is usually red or infectious

"He had a sore."

"He applied antiseptic cream to the painful sore on his leg."

a feeling of pain or discomfort in a part of the body that is swollen or sensitive, often caused by allergens, chemicals, or injuries

"The rash caused irritation."

"The harsh soap caused significant skin irritation, leaving it red and inflamed."

a period of time it takes one to go through a disease

"It was a bad episode."

"This unfortunate episode of the illness left him feeling weak and exhausted for weeks."

a sudden and unexpected start or return of a medical problem

"The patient had a seizure."

"The paramedics rushed to help the elderly man who had suffered a seizure on the sidewalk."

a severe injury that causes an internal organ or soft tissue to break or tear suddenly

"Tendon rupture happened."

"The athlete suffered a tendon rupture during the important match last weekend suddenly."

damage inflicted on the body as a result of an external force or event

"He has trauma."

"The severe physical trauma sustained in the accident required extensive rehabilitation and therapy."

the loss of a fetus from the uterus before it can survive outside the womb

"It was a miscarriage."

"Experiencing a miscarriage can be emotionally devastating for expectant parents."

(of an ilness) not fatal or harmful

"The tumor is benign."

"The tumor was benign which means it is not cancerous and the doctor said that no further treatment was necessary."

(of a tumor or disease) uncontrollable and likely to be fatal

"The cancer is malignant."

"The malignant tumor spread quickly to other parts of the body and the patient needed aggressive treatment to fight the cancer."

(of an illness) having no cure and gradually leading to death

"The patient is terminal."

"The patient is terminal and has only a few months left to live."

having a health condition marked by an impaired ability to regulate blood sugar levels

"She is diabetic."

"She is diabetic and has to check her blood sugar levels several times every single day."

a period during which a patient's condition improves and the symptoms seem less severe

"Her cancer is in remission now."

"After six months of intensive chemotherapy the leukemia patient was in remission meaning that no cancer cells could be detected in her body although doctors continued to monitor her closely for possible relapse."

to suffer or undergo something irritating, especially an injury, disease, etc.

"She will sustain an injury."

"She had to sustain a painful injury during the competition, but she continued playing."

to die as a result of a disease or injury

"He will succumb to illness."

"The patient sadly succumbed to his severe injuries after the accident."