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Welcome to our Daily English Listening Practice with this week’s series:

Health Vocabulary

This week’s series is aimed at Health Vocabulary, and today we’re talking about taking some medicine and getting your prescription filled. Feel better soon!

Please listen to the audio files for explanations.
Transcripts unavailable.

Notes from the Audio Files

Home Remedy

• Natural alternative: using things found in nature as opposed to chemicals
• Popping a pill: Taking a pill
• Lost his voice: Straining or hurting his voice through talking, shouting or singing
• Manuka honey: New Zealand honey known for healing properties
• Steam: evaporating water
• Clear his sinuses: open up his nasal passages/throat
• Herbal supplements: special herbs or spices used for healing
• Essential oils: very concentrated liquid form of herbs or plants

How to use it:
“I’ve been really into natural remedies lately. You know, just for minor things like sore throats and headaches. They work great!”
“I’m not convinced by natural remedies, the relief never seems to last very long.”

Have you taken anything? / Are you taking anything for it?

• Advil: headache / pain reliever
• Doesn’t seem to be helping: not relieving your pain
• aspirin, ibuprofen: pain relievers
• Tylenol, Advil: brand name headache/pain relievers
• Theraflu, Nyquil: powder or liquid flu-symptom relievers

Collect a prescription UK

• Visit your GP: visit your general practitioner
• Collect your prescription: pick up your prescription
• There and then: At the same time
• Take it to a chemist: Take it to a pharmacy (chemist is common in British English)
• Topped up: fill-up, replenished

How to use it:
“I’m going into town and collect my prescription from the chemist, they should top me up for the next 3 months.”

Fill a Prescription USA

• OTC meds: over the counter, medicine you can get without a prescription
• Prescribes you something: recommends certain medication after your checkup
• Clinic: a health center that can be more convenient that visit a doctor’s office
• Have it filled by the pharmacist: get the medicine from a pharmacist
• Pick up the prescription: collect your medicine
• Pay the co-pay: pay the amount of money leftover after your insurance pays the bulk of it
• Side note: getting another round of your prescription is a “refill”
  • I need to get a refill on my prescription

How to use it:
“Hi there, I need to get this prescription filled, do you have the generic (non-brand name) available?”
“Okay, Mr. Smith, we’ll have that ready for you in about an hour.”
“Is there a co-pay on the generic?”
“No sir, the insurance covers all of it.”

Medicine vs. Medication

• Medicine treats symptoms: symptoms are signs of a larger problem like headache, fatigue, drowsiness, sneezing, coughing
• Medication: Treating something long term: trying to cure something over a period of time
• ‘Taking’ some medicine: using short term medicine, for aches, pains and minor illnesses
• ‘Being on medication’: using a long term course of medicine, treatment for serious illnesses
• More concerned for you: more worried about you

How to use it:
“I’m really not supposed to drink while on my medication, so I’ll just have a water.”
“The doctor gave him a huge variety of medicine to take so he doesn’t get another infection.”

What do you normally take when you’re feeling sick?

Thanks,

Kat and Mark