Language/Spanish/Vocabulary/Health

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LA SALUD / THE HEALTH

"Estar sick (enfermo) o injured (lesionado) en el sitio donde vives es desagradable, pero cuando estás de viaje esta experiencia es mucho peor.

Buscar ayuda médica y treatment (tratamiento) en un país ajeno puede ser confuso e intimidante."

[Inglés para dummies, página 312, Una cita con el médico]

When I read this passage, I decided to do this lesson. I'm not a doctor, but I want to help the community with this vocabulary.

Ask about someone's health

Questions

The most common ways to ask about someone's health are:

  • ¿Cómo estas? (informal) ¿Cómo esta usted? (formal) = How are you
  • ¿Estás bien? (informal) ¿Esta usted bien? (formal) = Are you okay?
  • ¿Cómo te sientes? (informal) ¿Cómo se siente? (formal) = How are you feeling?
  • ¿Como te encuentras? (informal) ¿Como se encuentra? (formal) = How do you feel?

*Caution: The verb “encontrar / encontrarse” is irregular. It can refer to the verb to find or to meet or maybe to feel. I'll tell you some examples later.

Answers

The person will most likely respond:

  • Estoy bien, gracias. = I'm fine, thank you.
  • Estoy bastante bien, gracias. = I'm pretty well, thank you.
  • Regular / Así así = So-so
  • No tan bien. = Not so well.
  • No me siento bien. = I don't feel well.

*Attention: The word "siento" can refer to the verb "sentarse" = To sit For example: Me siento en está silla. = I sit in this chair.

  • No me encuentro bien. = I don't feel well.

* Caution: It's time to say you some examples about “encontrar / encontrarse".

  1. About “encontrar”: No encuentro las llaves. = I can't find the keys.
  2. About “encontrarse”: Todos los días me encuentro con tu hermana. = Every day I meet your sister.
  3. About “encontrarse”: No me encuentro bien. = I don't feel well.

When you hear or see that the person is not well, then you can ask:

  • ¿Qué te pasa? (informal) ¿Qué le pasa? (formal) = What's the matter?
  • ¿Qué te sucede? (informal) ¿Qué le sucede? (formal) = What's wrong?

If the person does not want to go into details, it's better to divert the conversation. The person can thank the concern, simply.

  • No te preocupes, estaré bien. ¡Gracias! = Don't worry, I'll be fine. Thank you!

If his/her condition is not serious, he/she can visit a family doctor = “médico de cabecera”

If his/her condition is severe, he/she can go to a hospital = "hospital"

Express Symptoms

Now, let's see how to express the “síntomas” = symptoms.

One of the most common questions is ¿dónde te duele? = where does it hurt?

Doler

Use the verb “doler” = to hurt

This verb is special because we don't say, “Yo duelo”, we say “Me duele”. “Me” is the átono personal pronoun. You also need to know the singular and plural form.

- Me duele + singular noun with its corresponding article. (one thing)

- Me duelen + plural noun with its corresponding article. (set of things)

For example:

  • Me duele la espalda. = My back hurts.
  • Me duelen los dientes. = My teeth hurt.

Right and left. Sometimes you'll need to specify by adding "Derecho/Derecha" or "Izquierdo/Izquierda"

For example:

  • Me duelen los pies. = My feet hurt.
  • Me duele el pie derecho. = My right foot hurts.
  • Me duele el pie izquierdo. = My left foot hurts.
  • Me duelen las piernas. = My legs hurt.
  • Me duele la pierna derecha. = My right leg hurts.
  • Me duele la pierna izquierda. = My left leg hurts.

Me + Verb

The átono personal pronoun “Me” can conjugate with many verbs, evidently!

For example:

  • Me sangra la nariz. = My nose's bleeding.
  • Me pica la piel. = My skin itches.

As you will have observed, many times the Spanish or English languages are expressed differently.

More examples:

  • Me ha salido un sarpullido/ una erupción. = I have a rash.
  • Me han salido manchas. = I have spots.
  • Me entran calambres. = I have cramps.
  • Me entran sudores. = I have sweats.

Tener

About To Have. Use this formula. Verb “tener” = to have + Noun “dolor” = pain + Preposition “en” = in + (thing, singular or plural, whit article).

For example:

  • Tengo un dolor en el pecho. = I have a pain in the chest.
  • Tengo dolor en la oreja derecha. = I have pain in the right ear.
  • Tengo dolor en la oreja izquierda. = I have pain in the left ear.
  • Tengo dolor en las muñecas. = I have pain in the wrists.

*Caution: The word “muñeca" (singular) or “muñecas" (plural), it could also be a toy in Spain. Its translation into English is doll or dolls.

It's true that in English you can express the pain with the suffix -ache, but in Spanish we use the previous formula with a variant, "Tengo dolor" + Preposition "de" + (Thing).

For example:

  • Tengo dolor de oído. = I have a earache.
  • Tengo dolor de muela. = I have a toothache.
  • Tengo dolor de cabeza. = I have a headache.
  • Tengo dolor de espalda. = I have a backache.
  • Tengo dolor de estómago. = I have a stomachache.

The verb "tener" = to have can help you give many explanations.

Look at the examples:

  • Tengo dificultad para respirar. = I have shortness of breath.
  • Tengo ardor de estómago. / Tengo acidez. = I have heartburn.
  • Tengo un terrible dolor de garganta. = I have a horrible sore throat.
  • Tengo una migraña severa. = I have a severe migraine.
  • Tengo la presión arterial alta. = I have the high blood pressure.
  • Tengo la presión arterial baja. = I have the low blood pressure.
  • Tengo alergia al polen. = I have allergy to pollen.
  • Tengo una magulladura. = I have a bruise.
  • Tengo escalofríos. = I have chills.
  • Tengo un hueso roto. = I have a broken bone.
  • Tengo fiebre. = I have fever.
  • Tengo un arañazo / rasponazo. = I have scratch.
  • Tengo la gripe. = I have the flu.

Ir

In Spain, the doctor may ask you, "¿como vas al baño (al inodoro)?" = how do you go to the bathroom (the toilet)? You go obviously walking, but the question refers to your bowel movements. Answers can be simple.

  • Voy normal = Normal
  • Voy con diarrea. / Tengo diarrea. = I have diarrhea.
  • Voy estreñido. / Tengo estreñimiento. = I have constipated.

*Attention: In Spain, “constipado” is not constipated. “Constipado” is synonymous of “resfriado” = caught a cold.

  • Cogí un refriado. = I caught a cold. = Cogí un constipado.

Sentir

Obviously you can use the verb "sentir" = to feel.

For example:

  • Siento náuseas. = I'm feeling nauseous.

Sometimes you will have to add the átono personal pronoun "Me".

For example:

  • Me siento mareado. = I feel dizzy.
  • Me siento deprimido. = I feel depressed.

Although the verb to feel is characteristic of people or animals, it can also be applied in other circumstances.

For example:

  • Mi pecho se siente apretado / oprimido. = My chest feels tight.

Toser / Estornudar

There are verbs that do not need pronouns or objects. For example "toser" = To cough or "estornudar" = To sneeze. Express the verb in first person and you can add an adverb.

  • Toso mucho. = I cough a lot.
  • Estornudo mucho. = I sneeze a lot.

Irritación

Another word very common in medical consultations is "Irritación". English speakers use the word sore. "Irritación" is a reaction of an organ or a part of the body, characterized by a redness or inflammation, and is painful. The most affected organs are eyes and throat. Skin irritations are usually on parts of the body exposed to chafing.

For example:

  • Tengo la garganta irritada. = I have a sore throat.
  • Tengo las axilas irritadas. = I have sore armpits.
  • Siento los ojos muy irritados. = My eyes feel really sore.
  • Mis ingles están irritadas. = My groins are sore.

*Look out!: "Irritar" in Spanish, or Irritate in English, can mean, to angry or annoy.

Estar

Use the verb “estar” = To be. Everyone knows this verb.

For example:

  • Estoy cansado. = I'm tired.
  • Estoy agotado. = I'm exhausted.
  • Estado vomitando. = I've been vomiting.
  • Mis ojos están secos. = My eyes are dry.
  • Mi espalda está quemada por el sol. = My back is sunburnt.

There are many ways to describe what happens to us, for example: Pierdo la voz. = I lose one's voice, Me corte = I cut myself, etc. Surely you will know how to conjugate more sentences, you just have to go over the verbs and the parts of human body.

Sufrir / Padecer

It's very common for a doctor to ask his/her patient about the medical history. Now we are going to see transitive verbs "sufrir y padecer" = Suffer

“Sufrir” and “padecer” are synonyms. Usually people use these words as I will explain.

  1. If you don't remember the technical word for the disease, you can use "sufro"
  2. If you know the name of the disease, you can use “Padezco”

For example:

  • Sufro del corazón. = I suffer from heart.
  • Padezco insuficiencia cardiaca. = I suffer from heart failure.
  • Sufro de los huesos. = I suffer from the bones.
  • Padezco osteoporosis. = I suffer from osteoporosis.

Examples of past tense:

  • Sufrí de la espalda. = I suffered from the back.
  • Padecí la varicela = I suffered from chicken pox.

Medical Tests

It's possible to done medical tests if your doctor considers it.

  • Medir peso y altura. = To measure weight and height.
  • Tomar la temperatura. = To take a temperature.
  • Comprobar las pulsaciones. = To check the pulse.
  • Medir la presión arterial. = To measure blood pressure.
  • Análisis de sangre. = Blood test.
  • Análisis de orina. = Urine test.
  • Electrocardiograma. = Electrocardiogram.
  • Hacer radiografía. = to take an X-ray.

Tratamiento

If everything is correct and okay, you will go home with a “receta” = prescription for “tratamiento” = treatment.

  • Gotas para los ojos. = Eye drops.
  • Pomada. = Cream.
  • Jarabe. = Syrup.
  • Píldoras. = Pills.
  • Pastillas. = Tablets.
  • Análgesico. = Pain-killer.
  • Tranquilizante. = Tranquilizer.
  • Vendaje. = Bandage.

Medical Specialists

Sometimes the doctor can derive the patient to a specialist. For example:

About Specialty Medical specialist
Alergias = Allergies Alergología = Allergology Alergólogo/a = Allergologist
Corazón = Heart Cardiología = Cardiology Cardiólogo/a = Cardiologist
Operaciones = Operations Cirugía = Surgery Cirujano = Surgeon
Piel = Skin Dermatología = Dermatology Dermatólogo/a = Dermatologist
Alimentación = Feeding Dietética y Nutrición = Diet and nutrition Dietista / Nutricionista = Dietitian / Nutritionist
Personas mayores = Old people Geriatría = Geriatrics Geriatra = Geriatrician
Riñones = Kidneys Nefrología = Nephrology Nefrólogo/a = Nephrologist
Sistema nervioso = Nervous system Neurología = Neurology Neurólogo/a = Neurologist
Ojos = Eyes Oftalmología = Ophthalmology Oftalmólogo/a = Ophthalmologist
Cáncer = Cancer Oncología = Oncology Oncólogo/a = Oncologist
Niños/as = Children Pediatría = Pediatrics Pediatra = Pediatrician
Mente = Mind Psiquiatría = Psychiatry Psiquiatra = Psychiatrist
Golpes y roturas = Blows and breaks Traumatología = Traumatology Traumatólogo/a = Traumatologist
Sistema reproductor femenino = Female reproductive system Ginecología = Gynecology Ginecólogo/a = Gynecologist
Sistema reproductor masculino= Male reproductive system Urología = Urology Urólogo/a = Urologist

This vocabulary can be improved. Is there a doctor in the net?

I will try to expand this vocabulary, but I HOPE YOU NEVER NEED IT :).

Contributors

Maintenance script and Vincent


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