Parts of the body 1

-.W Parts of the body

Mo,,1 C'"Tern.11 pan, ol 1lw hod, ha>< ordin.m �ni:li<h namh ·" well as Jn.i1om,c3l 1u1MS.
.
Oo.:11," nomulh u..c, the �n,:l"h nJm", r-m when tJll,ng w ca,h ocher There, arc, ,t few
e,cepuon\ ,,here docto"' use the anatomk.,1l 11.111l(': thnc are \ho"n in brJ,J,.N'\ hrlovi..
I 1aw (rnandihlr)
2 ned
1------'U. 3 shoulder
4 armpi1 (•"II•
2-----,J..'-.I
5 UPI"" arm
6 clbo ..
--13 7 bad:
14 8 bunock
9 "'rist
15 10 1hi11h
16 11 calf
12 l<g
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9 18 7 13 chcs1 (lhnra,J
14 hrcas1
15 s1omxh, rumm)
8- (abdomen)
10---..L-- 16 na,el (uml>,l1<:us)
17 hip
' 19
18 )ltO'll
(mgu111,1l region!
11---l 19 kn<e
(patella • kneecap)
12---l-
1-----20 20 shin

I nnb mean, .um (uppd' lunb) or leit 1lo"ct limb,. 11,r trunk i< � h<xl) exduJmg the
he.id and limb<..
�°' a more detJJkd dia!lr•m ,twm,ng pan, of the hoJ1. Stt Appendix I on pai:e 00.
Refernng to parts of the body
When paoe111< speak about their prohlcm lh<")
often refer to a pan of the he.Ji:
F
rm ha,mg trouble "'ith mi shoulder.
knee.

I '"""'
____
the
lne J,1<:"tor olten n<eds to asL. Jhout .t pan I)o ,ou
. get ,11l) p.1tn m )our �rom.,c1,
t.

.,
of rhe hody: � bacl?
}

Dt:scribing radiation of pain

A pa11e111 is tdhn14 1he doctor Jhout his b.icl pain and the pan, ol the bod) u radiate\ to.

( It starts in the hack. 1 hen it s«m, 10 go into the rightk

\ buttod: and down the Nd, of the nght thigh to the �n<e.
.
. (
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2.1 Write the ordinary English words for the corresponding anatomic.11 rerms in the table
u�iug your medin1l kuuwk<lgc:. Louk .tt A upposirc ro help you.

Analomkal ll'rm Common word

abdomen
axilla
carpus
coxa
cubitus
mammn
narcs
patella
2.2 Complere the senrences using ordinary English words. look at A and C opposite to help you.
a A male patient describi,,g angina pecroris:

It's like a rightness across my ( l).. . ...... , and it goes up

(2) .......................•..... my (3) ................................ and into my left
(4) ..,·-·-··········· and (5) ··········-···-··-······ the left (6).......................... .

b A male patient describi,,g renal colic:

lt srarrs (I) .............................. the loin and goes into the

(2) ..•...••.•.•.............. and (3) ·····-··-·············-· imo the testicle.

2.3 Complete the sentences. Look at A opposite to help you.

Anatomical term Patient's statement
1 inguinal swelling I've gor a lump in the....... ................ .
2 abdominal pain My little boy's gor a.... ..................... . . . ache.
3 periumbilical rash I've gor some spots around my.....••.....................
4 thoracic pain I've got a pain in the middle of the ...................•...........•
5 enlarged axillary node There's a painful swelling in my .....................
6 mandibular pain I've got a pain in my ........ w-................... .

2.4 Complete the table with words from the box. The first one has been done for you.
abdomen elbow loin wrist thigh
knee chest arm leg finger

Ove-r .f-o 11ou -�

Makt· a list of till' words from A nppH\ih· th;1t you find it hard lo n·rnt·mlu:r or th.ii you
need most often. Try to learn at least nm· nf thl'lll l'Vt:ry day.

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 Parts of the body 2
The abdomen
The main organs of the body have ordinary English names and doctors use these words.
But when an adjectivt is needed they ofren use an anatomical word. For example, we
can say disease of the liver or hepatic disease. Some abdominal organs. for exam?lc rhe
pancreas, have no ordinary name.
pancreas
duodenum ·1omach
gall bladder

liver·---

spleen

right kidney

When doctors talk about rhe main parts of rhe digestive system, they use the words bowe.l
or intestine: the small intestine or the small bowel, the large intestine or the large bowel.
When speaking to patients, doctors may refer ro the anus and rectum as the back passage.

The chest
TI,e chest (thorax) contains the organs of rcspirarion and rhe heart. The main parts of the
respiratory system are the airways and the lungs. The left lung is divided into rwo lobes,
and the right into three. The airways consist of the larynx, the rrachea (or windpipe), the
right and lefr bronchus, and the bronchioles. The chest is separated from the abdomen by
rhe diaphragm.

The pelvis
A doctor is explaining the function of the bladder to a pariem.

The bladder is situa:ed in the pelvis, as you know, and it is connected ro each kidney by a
long rube called the ureter - one on each side. The ureters carry the urine from the kidneys
lO lhe l,laJJe,, where h i!,, !,,lUO:J umil you llcd<lt: ru cmpry your bladder. \'\'hen that
happens, the urine passes down another rube, called the urethra, to rhe outside.

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3.1 Label the diagram using words from the box. Look at B opposite to help you.
diaphragm lobes windpipe heart
lung ainviys bronchioles

5 -·····························

1 ............................... .

2 ··········-···················· 6 ..........................,.._

3 ......-..................-...
4 ................................

3.2 Match the conditions ( 1-S) with the organs affected (a-h), using your medical knowledge.
1 hcpariris a bladder
2 pneumonia b gall bladder
3 nephritis c heart
4 gastric ulcer d kidney
5 cysriris e liver
6 angina pectoris f lung
7 cholocysriris g stomach
8 ulcerarive colitis h large bowel

3.3 Complete the textbook extract. Look at A and C opposite to help you.

Examination of the abdomen

To examine the patient for enlarged abdominal (1) ......•_...................... first feel for the (2) ...............................
and the (3) .....................-....... ................................ on the right side. To do this, ask the patient to take a deep
breath. wh ile pressing with the fingers upwards and inwards. Next, feel for the right (4) ..._........................
and then cross over to the other side for the left (5) ...-......................... . Still on the left side, palpate for an
enlarged (6) .•.-..............-...... Finally, moving to the lower abdomen, feel for the (8) .._ ..........__ .......... .
which is only felt if it is full.

Ove.r .f-o /10lA �

Many patients do not know the lotation or function of thl' spleen or thl' pantrl·as.
How would you ,·xplain thl'm to a pati,·nt. in English?

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 Functions of the body
Eating

You smcU it. It You rush fO the

You cat m0tt.
You're hungry. �,imul.ucs your You cake il bite toilet, and ger there
but then
You'tt in a appetite -you of ,he food. It jusl in tiin,e before
suddenly rou
rcsraumnt and wane to tat. tastes good and ._ vomiting all the
taste somcthi11g
the waiter bnn.gs Your mouth )'Ou chew i1 and food you've eaten.
unpk'asant. You
)'Our food. w:ltCI"$, fi.lJing S\"\':tllow ir. Something ha.s
fed nauseous.
with sahva. disagreed with you.

The five senses

In addition ro smell and rastc, the sigh,
senses include sight (or vision), \Vhar is your like'
hearing
hearing, and touch (also calle<l sense of smell
sensation or feeling). To ask about Is your sense of rasre normal?
the senses, doctors use rhe questions:
To ask about the sense of touch, doctors ralk about
numbness (loss of sensation): Have you noticed any numbness
(in your fingers or roes)?
Other functions
Function Verb Nrun
speaking sp,:-ak speech
walking walk gait
breathing inhale/ breathe in / rake a breath in brrath
respirarion exhale/ breathe out
urination urinare urine
micruririon micturate
pass uri.ne / pass water
defecation defecate faecc'S
pass faeces / pass stools stools
menstruation menstruate (menstrual) period
have a period (monthly) period

When tak'
·mg a I. k
11srory, doctors can as·:
�
When auscultating a patient's
walking' lungs, rhe doctor tells the patiem:
trouble
breathing?
difficulty
Do you have any passing urine? Take a deep breath in, hold
problems
wirh your speech? your breath, then breathe
pain when you breathe in? out completely.

Less common functions

There are some things we do less often. \'(!hen we are hot, we swear. When we are
nervous, we shake. \Vhcn we are sad� we cry.
Doctors can ask:
swear
Do you more than usual?
shake

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4.1 Match che symptoms ( 1-5) co the questions (a-e), using your medical knowledge.
I dysuria a \Xfl 1m i::. you, bfe,nhing like?
2 dysphagia b Do you have any pain when you pass water?
3 diplopia c Do you have any difRculty with your speech?
4 dysphasia d Do you have any trouble swallowing?
5 dyspnoea e Is your vision normal?

4.2 Patiencs are describing S)111pcoms of che conditions shown in brackets. Complete the
sentences. Look ac C and D opposite co help you.
1 I've got pain and .............................. in boch feec. (peripheral neuropathy)
2 I'm having difliculC)•... ............................ solid food. (oesophageal stricture)
3 I have a lot of problems .......-.................... ................................ . (prostatic hypertrophy)
4 I've been .............................. more than usual, e,•en when it's nor hot. (hyperthyroidisrr.)
5 I've noticed rhM my hands .............................. when I'm nor using them. (Parkinsonism)
6 I have rrouble ..................---· when I climb the stairs. (left hearr failure)

4.3 Complere the sentences. Look at A, B, C and D opposite co help you.

1
When I ear solid food, I have to ............................... (bire/chew) it
for a long time before I can .....-................... (swallow/ear) it.

2---- --------------------'
Do you have any pain when you ........................... (pass/have) srools?

3
I have no .. ........-............... (taste/appetite) and
I've lost five kilos in the lase few weeks.

4-------------------./
When did you last ...................... ......... (have/pass) a period?

5,......------------------...../
The garden is full of Aowers, but Ill)' ............................. (sense/sensation)
of smell has disapp<ared and I can't enjoy the perfume.

6
( Take a deep .. ._......... ............... (brearhe/breath) in.

Over .f-o 11ou �

You think a patient may have diabetes. Think of five questions you can ask th,· patient to
invl'stigak further. Try to use· the question typl'S presented in this unit.

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