Unit 2

UNIT 2
What’s Brought You Here?
A. GETTING STARTED
Work in pairs. What do you think each patient in pictures a –f might be complaining
of?
A B
C D
E F
B. CONVERSATION
Read and practice the dialogue below.
Doctor : Good morning Mr. Wood. I’m Doctor Martin, one of the doctors in A&E.
What’s brought you here today?
Patient : I’ve got this pain chest
Doctor : And you seem to be having some trouble catching your breath.
Patient : Yes
Doctor : Would you like me to give you some painkillers before we go on?
Patient : Yes, please
Doctor : OK. We’ll get some for you. And I’ll be as brief as I can.
Patient : Thank you doctor.
Doctor : Can you show me exactly where the pain is?
Patient : I’ve been getting it right here in the centre of my chest.
Doctor : Right. I see. And how long have you had it?
Patient : For the past hour.
Doctor : The past hour? And is the pain constant?
Patient : Yes. At the moment it’s there all the time.
Doctor : And does it go anywhere else?
Patient : At the moment, it’s just here in the centre of my chest, but it was in my
left shoulder before.
Doctor : Can you describe the pain for me?
Patient : It’s all over here. It’s not a harp pain. It’s like a tightness, as if
someone’s squeezing my chest.
Doctor : And when did the pain start first?
Patient : It came on first when I was bending over .... in the garden about two
weeks ago.
Doctor : It’s OK. Take your time.
Patient : And then I got this... full pain and I had shortness of breath.
Doctor : So it started with you bending over in the garden. And the shortness
of breath started at the same time?
Patient : Yes.
Doctor : Have you had this pain before?
Patient : Not the pain in the chest, no I had a pain in my left shoulder and arm
when I was walking to work one morning about a month ago.
Doctor : OK. I see from the notes that you’re a bus driver.
Patient : Yes, that’s right. Not the best of jobs to be starting at five on a frosty
morning.
Doctor : No, definitely not. Did you do anything about the pain?
Patient : I thought it was a touch of arthritis. There’d been a heavy frost, and I
just rubbed some liniment onto it.
Doctor : How long did it last?
Patient : Off and on for about a week, and then I didn’t think any more of it.
Doctor : OK.And have you felt sick at all?
Patient : Yes.
Doctor : And have you been sick at all?
Patient : No, I haven’t brought anything up.
Doctor : OK.
Answer the following questions.
1. Why did the patient meet Doctor Martin?

2. Where is the pain?
3. Describe his pain.
4. When did the pain begin?
5. What pain did he feel a month ago?
C. LANGUAGE SPOT
When taking the history of the presenting complaint (HPC), some questions are
asked about pain.
Asking about Questions

duration How long have you had the pain?
onset When did it start?
severity Does it wake you at night?
Can you tell me what the pain is like?
Can you describe the pain for me?
trigger Is there anything which brings it on?
radiation Does the pain spread anywhere else?
and ____character Can you tell me what the pain is like?
Can you describe the pain for me?
exacerbation/ Is there anything which makes it worse/ better?
alleviation
site Where do you get the pain?
previous episode Have you had the pain before?
constancy Is the pain constant?
Tenses in presenting complaint.
Present Simple
This tense is used to talk about:
1) something that’s true at the moment of speaking.
I’ve got a chest pain
I feel better
2) something that is happening on a regular basis around now
I get these headaches in the morning.
3) A process
When I lean forward, the pain goes away.
The pain starts in my chest and moves up to my shoulder.
Present Continuous
This tense is used to talk about:
1) something that is happening at the moment of speaking.
His blood pressure is rising.
I’m having difficulty breathing.
2) Somethng that is happening around now, though not necessarily at the moment
of speaking.
Are you taking any medication?
3) Something that has been arranged for a date in the near future.
I’m seeing a physiotherapist next Wednesday.
Present Perfect
We use this tense to talk about a situation that begins in the past, and which either
continues up to the present or is related to the present.
My headaches have decreased.
Present Perfect Continuous

We use this tense in a similar way to the Present Perfect, but the Continuous form
describes a progressive change in a situation up to now.
My headaches have been decreasing.
1. Identify which tense is used in each sentence below.
1. I’ve got a headache.

2. I’ve been having this shooting pain in my leg
3. I keep getting flashing lights around my eyes and a sharp pain.
4. I have been having these terrible backaches.
5. The pain goes right through you.
6. Have you been having any pain?
7. I’m getting these headaches off and on now.
8. I’m not taking anything for them.
9. The attacks have increased.
2. Work in pairs. Complete the sentences below with the correct form of the verb.
If more than one tense is possible, explain the difference.
1. My mother _________(have) these pains since last Tuesday. She still has them.
2. _______ (you normally go ) for a run at the same time every day?
3. The pain ____(ease) a little since yesterday. It’s better now.
4. I ____(lie) in bed for four weeks now. I haven’t been out of it once, doctor.
5. I can see the rash ______ ( get worse). It’s much redder.
6. I ______(not take) any medication at the moment.
7. ______ (pain spread ) to your shoulder or is it just here?
D. PRACTICE
Work in pairs. Decide what questions the doctor asked in each case. Take turns
asking and answering questions.
1 2
pain just above belly button; goes sharp pain in the right side; makes
through to back; makes me double up; me double up; never had it before;
worse after a fatty meal; drink a lot feeling sick; side very tender to
( alcohol); sharp pain ;p had it several touch; only thing relieves it is
times before; pain there all the time; bending knees to chest
came on after dinner last night
E. ON YOUR OWN
Work in pairs. Create your own conversation between a patient and a doctor about
presenting complaint. Act out the dialogue in front of the class.

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UNIT 2

What’s Brought You Here?

Read and practice the dialogue below.

Answer the following questions.

1. Why did the patient meet Doctor Martin?

Asking about Questions

Tenses in presenting complaint.

Present Perfect Continuous

1. Identify which tense is used in each sentence below.

1. I’ve got a headache.

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