Spanish Medical Vocabulary and Visiting the Doctor

Spanish Medical Vocabulary and Visiting the Doctor
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All You Need to Know When Visiting Your Doctor

So, you are feeling ill and need to go to the doctor in a Spanish-speaking country. But wait! You are not at home, and it would be helpful to know the basics for communicating medical needs in Spanish. Don’t panic: here are some Spanish medical vocabulary words and expressions, from facilities and specialties to disease names and typical expressions. You can also learn more Spanish vocabulary using the Internet.

Lugares y Departamentos (Facilities and Departments)

  • (el) ambulatorio – Outpatients’ department
  • (la) cirugía – Surgery
  • (la) clínica – Clinic
  • (la) consulta – Office hours
  • (la) enfermería – Sick bay
  • (la) ginecología – Gynecology
  • (la) hematología – Hematology
  • (el) hospital – Hospital
  • (la) maternidad – Maternity hospital;
  • (la medicina general – Family medicine
  • (la) oncología – Oncology
  • (la) pediatría – Pediatrics
  • (la) psiquiatría – Psychiatry
  • (los) rayos X – X-Ray
  • (la) sala de espera – Waiting room
  • (la) Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI) – Intensive Care Unit, ICU
  • (la) Unidad de Vigilancia Intensiva (UVI) – Intensive Care unit, ICU
  • (las) Urgencias – Emergency Room

Personales Médicos (Medical Personnel)

  • (el) cirujano – Surgeon
  • (el) dentista – Dentist
  • (el) enfermero, (la) enfermera – Nurse
  • (el) ginecólogo – Gynecologist
  • (la) matrona – Midwife
  • (el) médico de familia – Family doctor
  • (el) neurólogo – Neurologist
  • (el) oculista, (el) oftalmólogo – Ophthalmologist
  • (el) oncólogo – Oncologist
  • (el / la) pediatra – Pediatrician
  • (el) psicólogo – Psychologist
  • (el / la) psiquiatra – Psychiatrist
  • (el / la) tocólogo – Obstetrician

Síntomas (Symptoms)

  • (la) alergia – Allergy
  • Alucinar – To hallucinate
  • (la) congestión – Congestion
  • (el) corte – Cut
  • (la) diarrea – Diarrhea
  • (el) dolor – Ache, pain
  • (el) dolor de barriga – Bellyache
  • (el) dolor de cabeza – Headache
  • (el) dolor de oídos – Earache
  • (la) fiebre – Fever
  • (la) hemorragia nasal – Nosebleed
  • (la) herida – Injury
  • (la) infección – Infection
  • (la) irritación – Irritation
  • (la) migraña – Migraine
  • (la) náusea – Nausea
  • (el) picor – Itch
  • (el) temblor – Shivering;
  • (la) tos – Cough
  • Toser – To cough
  • (el) vómito – Vomiting

Nombres de las Partes del Cuerpo (Names of General Body Parts)

  • (la) arteria – Artery
  • (la) boca – Mouth
  • (el) brazo – Arm
  • (el) cabello, (el) pelo – Hair
  • (la) cabeza – Head
  • (la) cara – Face
  • (el) codo – Elbow
  • (el) corazón – Heart
  • (el) cuello – Neck
  • (el) dedo de la mano – Finger
  • (el) dedo del pie – Toe
  • (el) diente – Tooth
  • (la) espalda – Back
  • (el) estómago – Stomach
  • (la) garganta – Thoat
  • (el) hígado – Liver
  • (el) hombre – Shoulder
  • (la) lengua – Tongue
  • (la) mano – Hand
  • (la) nariz – Nose
  • (el) ojo – Eye
  • (la) oreja, (el) oído – Ear
  • (la) pierna – Leg
  • (el) pulmón – Lung
  • (el) riñón – Kidney
  • (la) rodilla – knee
  • (la) sangre – Blood
  • (el) tobillo – Ankle

Explicar sus síntomas al doctor (Explaining your symptoms to the doctor)

Let’s imagine you go to the doctor and the doctor asks you:

  • ¿Qué le pasa? - What’s happening to you?

or

  • ¿Cómo se siente? - How do you feel?

You’ll need some concrete expressions to make the doctor know about your health:

  • Tengo fiebre. – I have a temperature.
  • Me mareo. – I feel dizzy.
  • Me encuentro mal. – I feel unwell.
  • Me duele la cabeza. – I have a headache.
  • Me duelen las muelas. – I have a toothache.
  • Me duele el estómago. – I have a stomachache.
  • Me duele aquí. – I have a pain here
  • Tengo quemaduras de sol. – I have sunburn.
  • Estoy tomando esta/estas medicina/s. – I am taking “x” medicine(s).
  • Necesito una receta para este medicamento. – I need a new prescription for this " x" medicine.
  • Necesito una medicina para la migraña / dolor de oídos / alergias. – I need medicine for a migraine/earache/allergies.

And let the doctor know that:

  • Soy alérgico a la penicilina. – I am allergic to penicillin.
  • Estoy embarazada. – I am pregnant.
  • ¡Me estoy poniendo de parto ahora! – I am going into labor (having the baby) now!
  • Tomé este alimento / Tomé esta medicina antes. – I ate this food/ took this medicine earlier.
  • Tuve un ataque al corazón / una apoplejía / una rotura de hueso. – I have had this happen/a heart attack /stroke/broken bone before.
  • Aquí está la información de mi seguro. – Here is my insurance information.

Enfermedades (Illnesses)

  • (la) bronquitis – Bronchitis
  • (la) diabetes – Diabetes
  • (la) gastroenteritis – Gastroenteritis
  • (la) gripe – Flu
  • (la) hepatitis – Hepatitis
  • (la) infección – Infection
  • (el) insomnio – Insomnia
  • (la) otitis – Ear infection
  • (el) resfriado, (el) catarro – A cold
  • (el) reumatismo – Rheumatism

¿Qué su doctor dice? (What does your doctor say?)

  • Tiene que hacerse una prueba. – You need to have a test done.
  • Tiene que ir al hospital (inmediatamente). – You must go to the hospital (immediately).
  • Tiene que ir a Urgencias. – You must go to the Emergency room.
  • Pida este producto en la farmacia. – Ask for this product at the drugstore.
  • Compre este producto en la farmacia, y tómelo x veces al día. – Get this product from the drugstore, and take it x times a day. (in case we are talking about a medicine to be taken)

or

  • Compre este producto en la farmacia, y úselo x veces al día. – Get this product from the drugstore, and use it x times a day. (in case we are talking about a cream to be applied or similar.)
  • ¿Lleva ahora mismo con usted la medicina para esta enfermedad? – Do you have medicine for this problem with you?
  • ¿Qué medicinas está tomando ahora? – What medicines are you taking now?
  • No beba alcohol / no conduzca cuando tome esta medicina. – Do not drink alcohol/drive when you are taking this medicine.
  • No es grave – It is not serious.
  • ¿Es esta la primera vez que le pasa esto? – Is this the first time it happens to you?
  • Aquí tiene esta receta – Here you have this prescription.
  • Tiene que tomar esta medicina. – You have to take this medicine.
  • Tome esta medicina dos veces al día – Take this medicine twice a day.
  • Tendrá que visitar a un especialista. – You’ll have to visit a specialist.

References

This post is part of the series: Spanish Vocabulary

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