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When you’re sick in a foreign country, the last thing you want is to fumble for words. You already feel awful. You need to explain what hurts, for how long, and how bad it is – and you need the doctor to understand you correctly.

That’s exactly what this guide is for. I’ll walk you through the most useful English vocabulary for describing symptoms, plus a simple structure you can use every time. No complicated grammar. Just real, practical phrases that work.

Key Vocabulary for Describing Pain and Discomfort

First, let’s cover the basic types of pain. English uses different adjectives depending on how the pain feels.

Type of pain	What it feels like	Example sentence
sharp	sudden, like a knife	“I have a sharp pain in my lower back.”
dull	constant, not intense	“It’s a dull ache in my stomach.”
burning	hot, stinging	“There’s a burning sensation when I pee.”
throbbing	pulsing, beating	“My head is throbbing right behind my eyes.”
stabbing	sudden and severe	“I get a stabbing pain in my chest when I cough.”

Body parts matter too. Don’t just say “my leg.” Be specific: upper arm, lower back, left side of my jaw. Doctors rely on location.

The PQRST Method – A Simple Way to Structure Your Story

Many doctors around the world use a mental checklist called PQRST to evaluate pain. You don’t have to formally learn it, but using this order when you speak will help you give clear, complete information.

Here’s how it works, adapted for everyday English:

1. Provocation / Palliation – What makes it worse or better?
2. Quality – What kind of pain? (sharp, dull, burning?)
3. Region / Radiation – Where is it? Does it spread?
4. Severity – On a scale of 1–10, how bad is it?
5. Timing – When did it start? Is it constant or does it come and go?

You don’t need to follow that exact order. But try to always include these five pieces of information.

Here is a visual representation of the steps you can follow when you describe your symptoms to a doctor:

Useful Phrases for a Doctor’s Visit

Here are some complete sentences you can adapt. Mix and match them.

Starting the conversation:

• “I haven’t been feeling well for the past three days.”
• “I came in because of…”

Describing the symptom:

• “I have a fever of 38.5.”
• “My throat is sore and it hurts to swallow.”
• “I feel dizzy when I stand up.”

Answering follow‑up questions:

• “It’s worse at night.”
• “Nothing seems to help – I’ve tried resting.”
• “No, I haven’t noticed any swelling.”

Example mini‑dialogue (patient):

Doctor: What brings you here today?
You: For about a week I’ve had a dull pain on the right side of my stomach. It’s not very strong, but it’s constant. I’d say a 4 out of 10. It gets worse after I eat.

Short and complete. The doctor can immediately understand location, quality, timing, severity, and what makes it worse.

Keep a Simple Goal in Mind

You don’t need to be fluent in medical English. You just need to communicate the facts. If you forget a word, use your hands – point to where it hurts. Say “like fire” instead of “burning sensation.” Doctors are used to working with patients who speak limited English.

But preparing a few phrases in advance – the ones in this article – will make you feel calmer and more in control.

Now, how good is your English for real‑life situations like this? At English Measure, you can test your reading, listening, writing, and speaking for free. Practice with medical scenarios and get a clear score.

Take a free English level test now →

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