When assessing a patient's pain, you need to learn certain phrases that will enable you to determine the quality of the pain. The chart below includes these phrases and questions, as well as some typical patient responses.
Note that the questions that you will ask will have a pronunciation guide. You will not be given a pronunciation guide for patient responses as they are not phrases that you would say, but rather responses from your patient. Simply review them.
English | Spanish | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|
Are you in pain? | ¿Tiene dolor? | tee-ay-nay doe-lore |
Yes. / No. | Sí. / No. | This is a patient response. |
Where is your pain? | ¿Dónde siente el dolor? | doan-day see-ain-tay ale doe-lore |
Here. | Aquí. | This is a patient response. |
In my head. | En mi cabeza. | This is a patient response. |
In my stomach. | En mi estómago. | This is a patient response. |
Can you point to where it hurts? | ¿Me puede señalar dónde le duele? | may p’way-day sane-yah-lar doan-day lay d’way-lay |
Please point to the area with one finger. | Por favor, señale el área con un dedo. | pour fah-boar sane-yah-lay ale ah-ray-ah cone oon day-doe |
You also need some phrases that will help you determine the factors that are causing the patient's pain. Again, the chart below includes both phrases and questions you will say and the patient's potential responses.
English | Spanish | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|
What makes the pain start? | ¿Qué hace que su dolor comience? | kay ah-say kay soo doe-lore koh-mee-ain-say |
What makes the pain worse? | ¿Qué hace empeorar su dolor? | kay ah-say aim-pay-oh-rahr soo doe-lore |
Where is your pain? | ¿Dónde siente el dolor? | doan-day see-ain-tay ale doe-lore |
It hurts when I eat. |
Me duele cuando como. OR Al comer me duele. |
This is a patient response. |
It hurts when I drink. |
Me duele cuando tomo/bebo. OR Al tomar/beber me duele. |
This is a patient response. |
It hurts when I’m stressed. |
Me duele cuando estoy estresado/a. OR Me duele cuando tengo el estrés. |
This is a patient response. |
It hurts when I work. |
Me duele cuando trabajo. OR Al trabajar me duele. |
This is a patient response. |
It hurts when I lift things. |
Me duele cuando levanto algo. OR Al levantar algo me duele. |
This is a patient response. |
It hurts when I sit down. | Me duele cuando me siento. | This is a patient response. |
It hurts when I stand up. | Me duele cuando me levanto. | This is a patient response. |
It hurts when I lie down / go to bed. | Me duele cuando me tiendo / me acuesto. | This is a patient response. |
It always hurts. | Me duele siempre. | This is a patient response. |
I don’t know (what makes the pain start / makes the pain worse). | No sé. | This is a patient response. |
There’s no specific cause. | No hay ninguna causa específica. | This is a patient response. |
What makes the pain better? | ¿Qué hace mejorar su dolor? | kay ah-say may-ho-rahr soo doe-lore |
medicine | la medicina | This is a patient response. |
ice | el hielo | This is a patient response. |
heat | el calor | This is a patient response. |
rest | el descanso | This is a patient response. |
change of position | el cambio de posición | This is a patient response. |
Finally, you will need to know how to determine the quality of a patient's pain. The phrases in the chart below will be helpful in this context.
English | Spanish | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|
Can you describe the pain? | ¿Puede describir el dolor? | p’way-day day-scree-beer ale doe-lohr |
Is it throbbing? | ¿Es un dolor pulsátil? | ace oon doe-lore pool-sah-teel |
Is it dull? | ¿Es un dolor vago? | ace oon doe-lore bah-go |
Is it stabbing? | ¿Es un dolor punzante? | ace oon doe-lore poo-sahn-tay |
Is it sharp? | ¿Es un dolor agudo? | ace oon doe-lore ah-goo-dah |
Is it burning? | ¿Es un dolor que lo quema? | ace oon doe-lore kay lo kay-mah |
Is it crushing? | ¿Es fuertísimo? | ace f’ware-tee-see-moe |
Is it shooting? | ¿Es un dolor de balacera? | ace oon doe-lore day bah-lah-say-rah |
Is it aching? | ¿Es un dolor muy doloroso? | ace oon doe-lore moo-ee doe-lo-row-so |
Is it cramping? | ¿Es un dolor con calambres? | ace oon doe-lore cone kah-lahm-brace |
Is it numb? | ¿Es un dolor dormido? | ace oon doe-lore door-mee-doe |
Is it tender? | ¿Es un dolor sensible? | ace oon doe-lore sane-see-blay |
Yes. / No. | Sí. / No. | This is a patient response. |
If you are struggling with a concept or terminology in the course, you may contact SpanishforNursesSupport@capella.edu for assistance.
If you are having technical issues, please contact learningcoach@sophia.org.
Source: This content has been adapted from "Spanish for Nurses" by Stephanie Langston.