Imagine yourself in the following situation: You are on an international trip, you need medical attention but can not explain to the doctor how you feel in English. Learning idiomatic expressions can be very useful for these occasions and also in casual conversation.

We have already published here English words that doctors and pharmacists need to know, and in this post we have highlighted 12 common expressions with words related to health.

➡ Black out = temporary loss of consciousness

If your pressure drops and you wake up with a nurse saying "You had a blackout during the train ride", you'll know what it means.

➡ Get a charley horse = a painful muscle cramp in the legs

Cramps are very unpleasant, and if you are feeling some cramping in your legs you can say, "Doctor, I feel pain when walking, I’m getting a charley horse".

➡ Kick the habit = Stop a habit or addiction

Ex: I'm having trouble breathing and I intend to kick the habit of smoking.

➡ Out of shape = Not in ideal physical fitness

When your lifestyle is being negatively affected because you are not in good physical shape, you can tell a dietician: "I feel out of shape. I need to add more healthy foods in my diet."

➡ Alive and kicking = active, in very good health

If the doctor tells you this, celebrate! You are in great health!

➡ Have one foot in the grave = to be in poor health, near death

Ex: That old man has one foot in the grave.

➡ Up and about = recovered from some disease or moving again after an inactive period

This expression can be used after a patient re-establishes movements after surgery.

Ex: It's great to see you up and about again.

➡ Nothing but skin and bones = to be extremely thin

You're nothing but skin and bones! I'll give you some nutrish food to eat.

➡ Pale around the gills = to look pale, sick

When someone looks unhealthy, you can ask, "Are you OK? You’re pale around the gills."

➡ Feel on top of the world = feel happy and healthy

When someone feels really good, they feel on top of the world.

Ex: She is feeling on top of the world after being cured of the disease.

➡ A taste of one's own medicine = to experience for oneself the bad treatment they did to others

Ex: Anyone who hurts other people will one day taste their own medicine.

➡ Rub salt into the wound = make a bad event even worse for someone

Ex. Losing his job was bad already. Finding out that this was because of gossip, just rubbed salt into the wound.

Did you already know any of these expressions? We hope they will help you feel more prepared to communicate or even help someone who is not well.

If you are traveling and want to gain more confidence when speaking English, schedule a lesson with one of our native speaker tutors. Get a 50% discount using the LIMLAUNCH discount code - share this discount and these tips with your friends!