Common Minor Ailments That Can Be Described in Elaborate Medical Terms

In an therapeutic episode of their incredibly informative whiteboard series for Mental Floss, linguist Arika Okrent and illustrator Sean O’Neill verbally and visually offer some elaborate medical terms can be used to describe common and minor ailments. Such ailments include a rumbling tummy (borborygmi), brain freeze (sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia), canker sores (Aphthous stomatitis), fainting at the sight of blood (vasovagal syncope) and goosebumps (horripilation).

Want to generate a little more sympathy for your totally mundane health concerns? Use these fancy medical terms instead!

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.

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