Advanced Medical Expressions for Daily Life
Welcome! Today, you’ll learn over 50 advanced medical expressions essential for daily life. Be sure to stick around until the end,
Understanding Patients
First, let’s define a patient. A patient is a person receiving medical care. At some point in our lives, we will all be patients, and many of us have already experienced this on numerous occasions.
Currently, I’m not a patient because I’m not receiving medical care right now. This term applies only when you are actively getting treatment.
Types of Patients
- Inpatient: If you are admitted to the hospital, you are considered an inpatient. This means you stay overnight or longer, typically in a hospital room, often in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), which provides high levels of care.
- Outpatient: Most of us are outpatients when we receive care without being admitted to the hospital. For example, when you visit the ER (Emergency Room) for specific treatment, you’re treated and then you leave without an overnight stay.
Common Medical Professionals
Now, let’s discuss some common medical professionals you should know about:
- Doctor/Physician: In North America, “doctor” is the most commonly used term, but it means the same as “physician.”
- GP (General Practitioner): This doctor treats a wide range of issues. You might see your GP for anything from back pain to a cold or throat infection.
- Surgeon: A doctor who performs surgery.
- Specialists: These doctors focus on specific areas of medicine. For example:
- Cardiologist: Specializes in heart health.
- Dermatologist: Focuses on skin issues.
- Pediatrician: Treats children; often gives kids a treat after their visit to ease their fears.
- Optometrist: Works with eye health and vision.
- Dentist: Focuses on oral health.
- OBGYN: This stands for Obstetrician-Gynecologist, a specialist in women’s health, particularly during pregnancy and reproductive issues.
- Anesthesiologist: Administers anesthesia and monitors patients during surgery.
- Radiologist: Conducts imaging tests like X-rays and MRIs.
- Psychiatrist: Focuses on mental health and disorders.
- ENT: Stands for Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist.
Nurses are also crucial in healthcare. You might encounter:
- Registered Nurse (RN): A licensed professional with a nursing degree.
- Nurse Practitioner (NP): Has advanced training to diagnose and treat specific conditions.
Routine Checkups
A routine checkup is an important part of healthcare, ideally done every six months to a year. This appointment with your GP reviews your overall health without focusing on a specific issue. During the checkup, your GP will examine your vital signs, which include temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure.
If you have specific concerns during your checkup, you can schedule a separate appointment for those issues. Your GP may refer you to a specialist, such as an ENT for ear, nose, or throat concerns.
Discussing Symptoms
When you meet with your doctor, you’ll discuss your symptoms, which are feelings of illness you may be experiencing. Common symptoms might include:
- Back pain
- Soreness in the arm
- Numbness in the feet
- Blurry vision
- Nausea (the uncomfortable feeling often experienced on a roller coaster)
After describing your symptoms, the doctor may want to perform diagnostic tests. These tests help determine if you have a specific medical condition. Examples include MRIs, X-rays, and CT scans.
Diagnosis and Treatment Options
After diagnostic tests, the doctor will provide a diagnosis, which is an assessment of your medical issue. You can then discuss treatment options, which are different approaches to address your condition.
If medication is necessary, the doctor will write you a prescription, a written or electronic order for a specific treatment. You take this prescription to a pharmacy, where a pharmacist fills it, providing the prescribed medication.
The dosage indicates the amount of medication you should take, and the pharmacist will also inform you of any side effects, which are unintended reactions to the medication, such as headaches.
Follow-Up Appointments
After starting treatment, you might schedule a follow-up appointment with your GP or specialist. During this visit, you can discuss whether your symptoms have improved, if the treatment is effective, or if adjustments to your medication or dosage are needed.
Free Lesson PDF
Now you have over 50 advanced medical expressions for daily life! To help you review everything we discussed today, I’m providing a free lesson PDF. You can find the download link in the description.
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