Medical English for Travellers: Getting Help When It Matters

In a medical situation, clear facts matter more than elegant English. Say what happened, where you are, and what the person is experiencing. Use short sentences and repeat key details.

This guide supports language preparation; it is not medical advice. In an emergency, contact the local emergency number and follow qualified professionals.

Calling for urgent help

Start with location and danger:

• “We need an ambulance.”
• “A person has collapsed at the north entrance of Central Station.”
• “He is unconscious but breathing.”
• “She is having trouble breathing.”
• “There has been a road accident.”
• “Please send help. We are in room 412 at the City Hotel.”

Do not hang up until the operator tells you to. They may ask for a phone number, exact location, age, breathing status, and what caused the injury.

Describing symptoms

• “I have a severe pain in my lower right side.”
• “I’ve had a fever since last night.”
• “I feel dizzy when I stand up.”
• “I’ve been vomiting for six hours.”
• “My throat feels swollen.”
• “I cut my hand on broken glass.”
• “The pain started suddenly.”

Useful time phrases include “for three hours” (duration) and “since Tuesday” (starting point).

Pain and severity

A clinician may ask you to rate pain from zero to ten. You can also describe it:

• sharp — sudden or knife-like
• dull — less intense, often constant
• burning — hot or stinging
• throbbing — beating or pulsing
• constant — always present
• comes and goes — appears, stops, and returns

Pointing is useful, but add words: “The pain is here, and it spreads to my back.”

Allergies, conditions, and medicine

• “I’m allergic to penicillin.”
• “I have asthma.”
• “I take this medicine once a day.”
• “My last dose was at eight this morning.”
• “I’m not taking any other medication.”
• “Could this interact with my prescription?”
• “Is it safe to drive after taking this?”

Carry medicines in labelled packaging and keep a written list of the generic drug names, doses, conditions, allergies, and emergency contacts.

At a clinic: a realistic dialogue

Doctor: What brings you in today?

Traveller: I fell on some steps and hurt my ankle. It happened about two hours ago.

Doctor: Can you put any weight on it?

Traveller: A little, but the pain is getting worse. It’s swollen here.

Doctor: Are you allergic to any medication?

Traveller: Yes, penicillin. I don’t have any other known allergies.

Doctor: We’ll examine the ankle and may take an X-ray.

Traveller: All right. Could you also give me a report for my travel insurer?

Understanding instructions

• “How often should I take this?”
• “Should I take it with food?”
• “For how many days?”
• “What side effects should I watch for?”
• “When should I seek urgent help?”
• “Do I need a follow-up appointment?”
• “Could you write that down, please?”

Repeat the plan back: “So I take one tablet twice a day with food for five days—is that correct?” This technique catches misunderstandings.

Insurance and payment

• “Do you accept travel insurance?”
• “Do I need to pay upfront?”
• “Could I have an itemised receipt?”
• “I need a medical report for my insurer.”
• “Could you include the diagnosis and treatment on the report?”

Contact your insurer when practical, but do not delay emergency care to discuss paperwork.

Prepare before the trip

Save the destination’s emergency number, insurer contact, policy number, accommodation address, and a translated medical summary. Practise saying your allergies and current medicines aloud. Under stress, familiar sentences are much easier to retrieve.