Home » Health & Wellness  » Doctors and hospitals » Explain your condition using the correct terminology How often do we find ourselves at the doctor's trying to explain what exactly was the problem we faced? We find we are at a loss for words to describe our condition and end up getting confused - was it a 'sharp' pain or was it a 'cramping' pain, a 'constant' pain or an 'intermittent' one? Here then is a glossary which might help you to describe your condition accurately to the doctor, thereby helping him to diagnose the problem.

• Constant - Used to describe a fixed, unchanging pain
• Intermittent - Pain which keeps coming and going at intervals
• Sharp - Pain which causes intense distress. A piercing pain
• Dull - Pain which is lacking in intensity
• Cramping - A sudden painful contraction of muscle
• Superficial - Pain felt only on the surface
• Deep - Pain which extends far down, within or outward
• Aching - A dull persistent pain, nagging aches
• Throbbing - Pain which pulsates or pounds with abnormal force
• Crushing - Grinding or pounding pain with abnormal force
• Localised - Pain which is fixed or confined to a certain area
• Radiating - Pain spreading out and around from the centre of injury
• Stabbing - a quick thrusting sensation of pain
• Burning - A feeling of being 'on fire'

We do hope these simple terms, which are some of the most commonly used at the doc's to describe any painful condition, will help you to express yourself better. Time to take that long overdue appointment from your GP?