Describing pain and discomfort

When you’re traveling or living in a Spanish-speaking country, knowing how to accurately describe pain or discomfort is essential, especially when communicating with healthcare professionals. This guide will equip you with the vocabulary and phrases you need to express your symptoms clearly and effectively in Spanish.

The Basics: “Me duele…”

The most common way to say something hurts is with the phrase “Me duele…” This translates to “It hurts me…” or “My … hurts.” Let’s see it in action:

  1. “Me duele la cabeza” – My head hurts
  2. “Me duele el estómago” – My stomach hurts
  3. “Me duelen las piernas” – My legs hurt (note the plural form)

Describing the Type of Pain

To give a more precise description, you can use these adjectives to describe the nature of the pain:

  • Agudo: Sharp pain
    • Example: “Siento un dolor agudo en el pecho” (I feel a sharp pain in my chest)
  • Sordo: Dull pain
    • Example: “Tengo un dolor sordo en la espalda” (I have a dull pain in my back)
  • Pulsante: Throbbing pain
    • Example: “El dolor en mi sien es pulsante” (The pain in my temple is throbbing)
  • Constante: Constant pain
    • Example: “El dolor en mi rodilla es constante” (The pain in my knee is constant)

Expressing Pain Intensity

Describing the intensity of your pain helps healthcare providers understand the severity of your situation:

  • Leve: Mild
    • Example: “El dolor es leve, pero molesto” (The pain is mild, but annoying)
  • Moderado: Moderate
    • Example: “Tengo un dolor moderado en el cuello” (I have moderate pain in my neck)
  • Intenso: Severe
    • Example: “El dolor de muelas es intenso” (The toothache is severe)

How Long Has it Hurt?

To convey how long you’ve been experiencing the pain, use the structure “Hace… que me duele”:

  • “Hace dos días que me duele la espalda” (My back has been hurting for two days)
  • “Hace una semana que me duele la garganta” (My throat has been hurting for a week)
  • “Hace meses que me duele la rodilla” (My knee has been hurting for months)

Other Helpful Phrases

  • “Estoy mareado/a” – I’m dizzy
  • “Me siento débil” – I feel weak
  • “Tengo náuseas” – I feel nauseous
  • “Estoy estreñido/a” – I’m constipated
  • “Tengo fiebre” – I have a fever

Putting it All Together

Now you have all the pieces, let’s combine them to create a complete description of your pain or discomfort. For example:

“Hace tres días que me duele la cabeza. El dolor es constante y moderado, pero a veces se vuelve intenso y pulsante.”

(I’ve had a headache for three days. The pain is constant and moderate, but sometimes it becomes severe and throbbing.)

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