15 Phrasal verbs related to health

You all know how important it is to learn phrasal verbs in English, since the English use them in all their conversations.

Learning these kinds of verbs will be useful to improve your level of spoken English but also if you are thinking of taking an official exam such as the First Certificate, among others.

On this occasion we will give you phrasal verbs related to health, in case in some of your conversations this topic is discussed, but also in case you have to go to the doctor when travelling.

1. Come down with: To get an illness which is usually not serious.
My sister has come down with measles.

2. Pick up: To get an illness.
You have picked up a bad cold.

3. Fight off: To try to get rid of an illness.
I have to take antibiotics to fight off the inffection.

4. Get over: To be healthy again after having an illness.
Still got the flu? I thought you'd already got over it.

5. Throw up: When food or drink in your stomach comes out of your mouth.
I feel terrible. I spent the whole night throwing up.

6. Pass out: To lose consciousness.
I sometimes pass out when my blood pressure drops.

7. Come to: To regain consciousness.
It took her a few minutes to come to.

8. Stuffed up: When you can't breathe easily because of a cold.
I hate it when my nose is stuffed up.

9. Swell up: When a part of your body becomes larger and rounder than normal.
I knew I'd broken my arm because it swelled up straight away.

10. Ease off: To gradually stop or become less.
My headache eased off after taking an aspirin.

11. Pull through: To manage to stay alive after you've suffered a serious illness o bad injuries.
The doctors are optimistic and believe that she will pull through.

12. Break out: When spots or a rash appear on your skin.
Something I have eaten has made me break out in a rash.

13. Stitch up: To put stitches in a wound.
The cut was deep so I had to be stitched up.

14. Shake off: To get rid of.
My cold is over but I can't seem to shake off the cough.

15. Pass away: To die. It is used when you don't want to use the word die because you don't want to upset anyone.
My grandfather passed away in his sleep.

You can now start using these phrasal verbs in health-related conversations. If you want to know other types of phrasal verbs read our articles about phrasal verbs related to clothing or food.