English medical vocabulary

English words and phrases connected with injury.
Boil = infected swelling with liquid inside it: "You'll need to go to the doctor to have that boil lanced." (lance – puncture and clean)
Lump = swelling: "I have a strange lump on my arm. I wonder what caused it."
Rash = allergic reaction which makes your skin go red: "When she used the soap her skin came out in a rash."
Scab = dry skin that forms over a cut: "Don't pick at your scab – you might make it bleed."
Spot = red mark on the skin (much smaller than a boil): "When he was a teenager he had a lot of spots."
Swelling = an irritation or infection that makes the skin rise: "After the wasp stung her, she had a swelling on her leg for days."
These words can be used as nouns and verbs
Bruise = when the skin goes blue and yellow: "She fell down the stairs and bruised her arm.""He has a bruise just under his eye."
Bump = when you hit yourself and get a slight swelling:"Ow! I bumped my head on the desk!""It's only a little bump – nothing serious."
Cut = when something sharp breaks your skin and you bleed: "He cut himself badly on the bread knife.""Fortunately, nobody was seriously injured in the accident. There were only a few cuts and bruises.""She got a nasty cut on her hand while she was diving."
Gash = deep cut: "He gashed his hand badly on a piece of broken glass.""That's a nasty gash. You might need stitches."
Graze = slight cut – not enough to bleed much: "When she was little, she was always grazing her knee.""I got a small graze on my hand when I fell onto some gravel."
Itch = when a part of your body makes you want to scratch it: "My eyes are itching – this atmosphere is too smoky for me.""I've got a terrible itch where the mosquito bit me. "
Scratch = like a graze, but more painful: "The cat scratched me – it stings a little.""He was picking berries and got a couple of scratches from the thorns."
Sprain = twist a part of your body: "She sprained her ankle when she slipped on the ice.""My ankle looks swollen, but it's only a minor sprain."
(See also "Going to the doctor" in the Real Life English section.)