 15 English Phrases for the Doctor's Office from EspressoEnglish.net Here are some phrases a doctor might say. We'll need to run some tests. Tests are used to help diagnose, identify the health problem. Some common tests are a blood test and a urine test. There are also scans such as an ultrasound, which is used for seeing internal organs, and x-rays, which are used for seeing the bones. The transplant was a success. There were no complications. A transplant is when one person, the donor, gives an organ to another person, the recipient. Some transplants, such as kidneys, can be done when the donor is still alive. Others, such as heart and lung transplants can be done when the donor has recently died. When the donation is of blood, it is called a transfusion instead of a transplant. If there are complications during surgery, it means that things went wrong, or unexpected things happened to make it more difficult. After a transplant, the recipient usually needs to take anti-rejection medication so that their body doesn't reject the transplanted organ. I'd like to keep you here overnight for observation. The doctor will say this if it's necessary for you to stay in the hospital for a little while so that the doctors and nurses can observe you and make sure you are okay. They might use a machine to monitor your vital signs. Observe the rhythm of your heartbeat and breathing. We haven't made a diagnosis yet, but we've ruled out cancer. A diagnosis is the identification of this specific health problem. To rule out something means to eliminate it from consideration. Does it hurt when I press here? If you have pain in your body, the doctor might press, apply pressure, on different places and ask if you feel any pain at that particular point. I'm going to prescribe you some antibiotics. Some medication requires a doctor's prescription, official note with permission for you to get it. Antibiotics are used to treat infections. Do you have any allergies? If you have allergies, it means your body reacts badly to particular foods or medicines. If you have allergies, you can respond to this question by saying, I'm allergic to. Now let's learn some phrases a patient might say. I have a rash on my arm and it's very itchy. A rash is a red, irritated area on the surface of your skin. If it's itchy, it means you feel an annoying sensation that makes you want to scratch it with your nails. I feel a sharp pain when I bend my knee. A sharp pain is a strong, sudden pain. The opposite is a dull pain, a feeling that is weaker and more continuous. My stomach hurts and I've lost my appetite. To describe the pain you're feeling, you can say my plus the body part hurts. If you've lost your appetite, it means you have no desire to eat. My neck is stiff and sore. I pulled a muscle. If a body part is stiff, it means that it has less ability to move than normal. The word sore means that it's continuously painful, usually when you've used a muscle too much. To pull a muscle means to extend a muscle beyond the normal point and injure it. What are my options for treatment? The word treatment refers to the methods for helping you get better from a health problem. Some diseases can be cured, completely eliminated from your body. Others cannot be cured, but their symptoms, the signs and effects of the disease, can be treated, made better or more tolerable. Am I going to need surgery? Surgery is when a doctor, called a surgeon, cuts open your body to make repairs on your insides. Surgery can also be called an operation. The verbs for the doctor doing this action are to operate or to perform surgery. We usually say that the patient has or had an operation or has or had surgery. I'd like to get a second opinion. A second opinion is when you talk to a different doctor to see if he or she has a different opinion about your health problem or treatment options. That's a relief. You can say this when the doctor gives you some good news. A relief is something that makes you happy after you were worried about it. To learn more practical phrases for English speaking, check out the Everyday English Speaking Course where you'll learn the phrases that native speakers use in daily life in lots of different situations, from shopping to restaurants to socializing. Visit espressoenglish.net and check out the Everyday English Speaking Course.