English at the Doctor's — How to Describe Symptoms and Understand the Answer
The vocabulary for describing pain, the questions every doctor asks, and how to check you've understood the instructions before you leave.
Victoria C.
Methodology lead, English Era Studio
Most English mistakes cost you nothing. You order the wrong sandwich, you laugh, you move on. A medical appointment is the exception: getting the description wrong can mean the wrong advice, and nodding at instructions you didn't follow can mean taking medication incorrectly.
It's also, thankfully, a conversation with a very predictable shape.
Describing where it hurts
English separates the kind of pain carefully, and doctors listen for exactly this.
| Word | What it describes |
|---|---|
| sharp | sudden and intense, like being cut |
| dull | constant, low-level, heavy |
| throbbing | pulsing, in time with your heartbeat |
| stabbing | sharp and repeated |
| burning | hot, stinging |
| aching | a deep tired soreness |
| tender | hurts when touched |
| stiff | hard to move |
The structures you need:
- I've got a sharp pain in my lower back.
- It hurts when I breathe in.
- It's been aching for about three days.
- It comes and goes.
- It's worse in the morning.
- It's tender if I press it.
"It comes and goes" is worth memorising as a unit — it's the standard English way to say a symptom is intermittent, and there's rarely a neat word-for-word version in other languages.
The questions you will be asked
Almost every appointment contains these. Prepare an answer to each and you've prepared the whole conversation.
| They ask | They want |
|---|---|
| What seems to be the problem? | Your opening sentence |
| How long has this been going on? | Duration |
| Can you describe the pain? | A word from the table above |
| Does anything make it better or worse? | Triggers and relief |
| Are you taking any medication? | Current medicines |
| Any allergies? | Drug or other allergies |
| Have you had this before? | History |
| On a scale of one to ten? | A number is fine |
Your opening sentence should be one line, not a story: I've had a sore throat and a fever since Friday. Detail comes when they ask.
Body vocabulary people get stuck on
- chest (front torso), stomach (belly, informally anywhere in the abdomen), abdomen (medical)
- throat (inside), neck (outside)
- wrist / ankle / elbow / knee — joints are where learners most often reach for the wrong word
- shoulder blade, lower back, ribs
And the symptoms themselves:
- dizzy — the room spins; light-headed — faint, floaty
- nauseous / sick — about to vomit (British I feel sick means nauseous, not ill in general)
- short of breath, bloated, swollen, numb, itchy, congested
- a rash, a lump, a bruise, a sprain
Careful with "I feel sick". In British English it means I might vomit. To say you're generally unwell, say I'm not feeling well or I'm feeling under the weather.
Understanding the instructions — the part that matters
This is where you must not nod politely.
| They say | It means |
|---|---|
| Take one tablet twice daily | One tablet, two times a day |
| Take it with food | Not on an empty stomach |
| Finish the course | Keep taking it until they're gone, even if you feel better |
| As needed / as required | Only when you have symptoms |
| Come back if it doesn't clear up | Return if it doesn't get better |
| We'll refer you | Sending you to a specialist |
| We'll run some tests | Blood test, scan, etc. |
| It should settle down | It will improve on its own |
Always close the loop out loud:
- So that's one tablet in the morning and one at night, with food — is that right?
- Sorry, could you write that down for me?
- How long should I take these for?
- What should I do if it gets worse?
Repeating instructions back is not a sign of weak English. It is what careful patients do in every language, and any good doctor will be pleased you did.
Making an appointment
- I'd like to book an appointment, please.
- Do you have anything today? It's fairly urgent.
- It's about a recurring headache.
- Is there a doctor who speaks slowly? — perfectly reasonable, and often possible.
The phrase to have ready
If you understand only one thing on this page, make it this:
Sorry — my English isn't perfect and I want to be sure I've understood. Could you say that again more slowly?
In most contexts I'd tell you not to apologise for your English. A medical appointment is the exception: here, flagging it makes the other person slow down and check, which is exactly what you want.
Common questions
How do I describe pain in English?
Pick a word for the kind of pain — sharp, dull, throbbing, stabbing, burning, aching — then add where and how long: "I've got a dull ache in my lower back, and it's been there about three days." Add whether it's constant or "comes and goes", and what makes it worse.
What does "I feel sick" mean in British English?
It means you feel nauseous — like you might vomit — not that you're generally unwell. To say you're ill, use "I'm not feeling well" or "I'm feeling under the weather".
What questions will a doctor ask me in English?
Almost always: what the problem is, how long it's been going on, what the pain is like, whether anything makes it better or worse, what medication you take, whether you have allergies, and often a one-to-ten pain score. Prepare one answer for each and you've prepared the appointment.
How do I make sure I've understood the doctor's instructions?
Repeat them back: "So that's one tablet in the morning and one at night, with food — is that right?" Then ask how long to take them for and what to do if it gets worse. Asking them to write it down is completely normal.
What's the difference between dizzy and light-headed?
"Dizzy" is the room spinning around you. "Light-headed" is feeling faint or floaty, as if you might pass out. Doctors treat them as different symptoms, so the word you choose matters.
Where to start
At the Doctor's is the A2 course built on this exact conversation, with listening practice on the questions and instructions.
For the wider health vocabulary, Healthy Living vs Diet Culture covers how people actually talk about food and health at B1, Seated Stretch: A Mini Yoga Break covers the body and movement, and Phobias covers the language of fear and anxiety at B1–B2 — useful if your appointment is about how you feel rather than where it hurts.
Practise this
Turn this into actual practice
Reading about English is a start. These mini-courses make you use it — with exercises that check your answers as you go.
Keep reading
- English for Stress, Rest and Overthinking — Talking About How You FeelThe vocabulary for burnout, worry and rest, plus what to say when someone else is struggling — the conversation most learners have never practised.
- Small Talk in English — What to Say When There's Nothing to SayThe topics that are safe, the ones that aren't, why British people really talk about weather, and how to end a conversation without escaping.
- How to Describe People in English — Appearance, Personality and TactThe word order nobody teaches, the difference between slim and skinny, and which descriptions are fine to say out loud.