Okuzeka
Medicine vocabulary · Symptoms and Signs

Pain

Meaning in medicine, with examples

/peɪn/nounCore term

In medicine, pain means: An unpleasant feeling in part of the body that tells you something is hurt or not working properly; it is the most common reason people see a doctor.

In Turkish: ağrı, acı

How it is used

Doctors ask about the site, character, severity and timing of pain, often with the mnemonic SOCRATES and a 0–10 pain score. Pain is described as sharp, dull, burning, crushing or colicky. Patients also say 'it hurts' or 'it aches'.

Example sentences

  1. On a scale of 0 to 10, how bad is the pain right now?

  2. She has had a dull pain in her lower back for three weeks.

Common collocations

  • severe pain
  • sharp pain
  • pain relief
  • pain score
  • be in pain
  • chest painPain or discomfort felt in the chest; it can come from the heart, lungs, food pipe, muscles or ribs, so it is always taken seriously.
  • abdominal painPain anywhere in the belly, between the chest and the groin; it has many causes, from indigestion to appendicitis.
  • headachePain anywhere in the head; most headaches are harmless, but a few are a sign of a serious problem.
  • analgesicA medicine that relieves pain, such as paracetamol, ibuprofen or morphine; patients usually call it a painkiller.
  • radiateOf pain, to spread from the place where it starts to another part of the body, for example from the chest to the left arm.

More terms: Symptoms and Signs

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.