Visiting the doctor

The first time you visit a new doctor, you should talk about your medical history - the illnesses you have had, any operations you have had and so on. Your doctor might want to give you a check-up.

A check-up will include monitoring your blood pressure, as high blood pressure is serious and can lead to life-threatening conditions. Your doctor will probably also take your pulse to check that your heart rate is normal.

A doctor uses a stethoscope to listen to your breathing - particularly if you have a heart or chest infection, or a condition such as asthma.

Of course, you can also visit the doctor for a huge range of other reasons. Children need to have their injections and if you are going abroad on holiday, you might also need to have injections against infectious diseases. In winter, you can also get a flu vaccine so that you won't get the flu.

If you need medication, a doctor will write you a prescription. You can get your prescription filled at a chemist.

For more serious medical conditions, you can get a referral to a clinic or a hospital. You might need blood tests done, or you might need an X-ray, or you might need to see a specialist.

(See also "medical vocabulary" in the vocabulary section.)