Pain Vocabulary in Spanish

    Pain is the most common chief complaint in clinical practice. This Spanish vocabulary covers the words and phrases you need to characterize pain — location, intensity, quality, duration, and what makes it better or worse.

    EnglishSpanishAudio
    painel dolor
    severe paindolor severo / dolor fuerte
    mild paindolor leve
    sharp paindolor agudo / punzante
    dull paindolor sordo
    burning paindolor ardiente / quemante
    throbbing paindolor pulsante
    cramping paindolor tipo cólico
    chest paindolor de pecho
    abdominal paindolor abdominal / dolor de barriga
    headachedolor de cabeza
    back paindolor de espalda
    sore throatdolor de garganta
    Does the pain radiate?¿El dolor se mueve a otra parte?
    When did it start?¿Cuándo empezó?
    What makes it worse?¿Qué lo empeora?
    What makes it better?¿Qué lo mejora?

    Using these terms with patients

    • The verb "doler" works like "gustar": the body part is the subject. It is "me duele la cabeza", never "yo duelo". Singular "duele" for one part, "duelen" for two.
    • Patients rarely volunteer a pain scale. Offer the anchors: "Cero es nada y diez es el peor dolor de su vida."
    • Ask about radiation with "¿Se le corre el dolor?" — the textbook "irradiar" is not everyday speech.

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