This free Medical Spanish lesson focuses on discussing back pain in Spanish: el dolor de espalda. In this lesson I teach on
- common causes of back pain
- anatomy of the back and areas that are commonly painful
- pain descriptions in Spanish
- common tests and procedures to assess back pain
Here is the Medical Spanish back pain lesson I taught to the Facebook group:
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This post includes tons of vocabulary related to back pain in Spanish, so if you want to review any specific vocabulary in Spanish, just click on these menu items:
- Relevant Anatomy
- Signs and Symptoms
- Common Causes
- Tests and Procedures
- Suggestions to Help and Prevent
Anatomía relevante / Relevant Anatomy
Let’s start with a quick review of the body parts related to the back pain and their names in Spanish 🙂
| Spanish | English |
El coxis  | The coccyx |
| El cuello (la nuca) | The neck (nape) |
| El disco | The disc |
| El muslo | Thigh |
| El sacro | The sacrum |
| La cintura | The waist |
| La columna vertebral | Spinal column |
| – Cervical | – Cervical |
| – Toráxica | – Thoracic |
| – Lumbar (el espinazo, la espina dorsal) | – Lumbar (the spine, the spine) |
| La espalda | The back |
| La ingle | The groin |
| La médula espinal | Spinal cord |
| La pelvis | Pelvis |
| La vértebra | The vertebra |
| Las piernas | The legs |
| Los costados | Sides |
| Los glúteos | Buttocks |
| Los hombros | Shoulders |
| Los ligamentos | The ligaments |
| Los músculos | The muscles |
| Los nervios | The nerves |
| Los riñones | The kidneys |
Signos y síntomas / Signs and Symptoms
Now you have mastered the basic anatomy, it’s time to learn and understand the most common signs and symptoms of back pain
| Spanish | English |
| Debilidad | Weakness |
| Dolor: | Pain: |
| – Intenso | – Intense |
| – Muscular | – Muscular |
| -Punzante | -Stinging |
| – Que corre para abajo | – That runs down |
| – Moderado | – Moderate |
| Entumecimiento | Numbness |
| Fiebre | Fever |
| Hormigueo | Tingle |
| Movimiento limitado | Limited movement |
| Nausea | Nausea |
| Orina turbia | Cloudy Urine |
Causas comunes / Common Causes
This is a short list of the most common causes of back pain both in English and Spanish that you can use to talk through a diagnosis with your patient.
| Spanish | English |
| 1. Disco herniado o roto: | 1. Herniated or broken disk: |
| El disco es el cartílago entre las vértebras | The disc is the cartilage between the vertebrae |
| Si se comprime, sale de su lugar o rompe, causa mucho dolor e inhibe el movimiento | If it is compressed, goes out of place or breaks, it causes a lot of pain and inhibits movement |
| 2. Esguinces y Distensiones: | 2. Sprains and strains: |
| Un estiramiento excesivo o desgarro en el ligamento, tendón o músculo, puede ocurrir con levantar objetos pesados o torcerse de manera incorrecta | Excessive stretching or tearing of the ligament, tendon or muscle can occur with lifting heavy objects or twisting incorrectly |
| Pueden causar espasmos en los músculos de la espalda y provocar dolor | They can cause spasms in the muscles of the back and cause pain |
| 3. Estenosis espinal: | 3. Spinal stenosis: |
| El canal de una o más vértebras se estrecha y pone presión sobre la médula espinal y los nervios | The canal of one or more vertebrae narrows and puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves |
| Causa dolor, entumecimiento y debilidad | It causes pain, numbness and weakness |
| 4. La ciática y nervios comprimidos: | 4. Sciatica and compressed nerves: |
| Los nervios de la médula espinal a veces se comprimen o se pellizcan | Nerves in the spinal cord are sometimes compressed or pinched |
| Puede pasar después de un accidente, con ciertos movimientos, o por presión de un disco | It can happen after an accident, with certain movements, or by pressure of a disc |
| Causa dolor que corre, hormigueo, entumecimiento y debilidad | It causes running pain, tingling, numbness and weakness |
| 5. Artritis: | 5. Arthritis: |
| Una inflamación de las articulaciones en la espalda – los espacios entre las vértebras | An inflammation of the joints in the back – the spaces between the vertebrae |
| Esta inflamación provoca dolor y rigidez | This inflammation causes pain and stiffness |
| 6. Piedras renales: | 6. Kidney stones: |
| Son cálculos que forman en el riñón y no pueden pasar por las vías urinarias | They are stones that form in the kidney and can not pass through the urinary tract |
| Causan dolor lumbar, dolor al orinar, orina oscura y otros síntomas de infección | They cause low back pain, painful urination, dark urine and other symptoms of infection |
| 7. El embarazo: | 7. Pregnancy: |
| Por el peso extra que lleva la mamá en el útero, los músculos de la espalda se esfuerzan más para mantener la postura | Because of the extra weight that the mother carries in the uterus, the muscles of the back try harder to maintain the posture |
| Puede producir dolor, músculos adoloridos y rigidez | May cause pain, sore muscles and stiffness |
Exámenes y procedimientos / Tests and Procedures
Now you are able to provide a diagnosis, it’s time to talk about the tests and procedure they might need from now on
| Spanish | English |
| Para diagnosticar: | To diagnose: |
| Examen físico | Physical exam |
| Tomografía computada (TAC) | Computerized tomography (CT) |
| Resonancia magnética (RM) | Magnetic resonance (MR) |
| Radiografía (rayos equis) | X-ray (X rays) |
Sugerencias para ayudar y prevenir / Suggestions to Help and Prevent
Finally, you can make some suggestions to your patient to improve their lifestyle and avoid feeling pain in the future
| Spanish | English |
| Haga ejercicios de fortalecimiento y estiramiento: | Do strengthening and stretching exercises: |
| Ejercicios que fortalecen y estiran los músculos de la espalda y el abdomen le dan mejor equilibrio | Exercises that strengthen and stretch the muscles of the back and abdomen give better balance |
| Más fuerza y mejor equilibrio bajan el riesgo de lesionar la espalda | More strength and better balance lower the risk of injuring the back |
| Preste atención a la postura: | Pay attention to your posture / position: |
| Es importante pararse y sentarse con la espalda recta | It is important to stand up and sit with your back straight |
| También si usa una computadora en el trabajo hay que asegurar que el monitor y el teclado estén en buena posición | Also if you use a computer at work you must ensure that the monitor and keyboard are in good position |
| Levante objetos pesados con las piernas: | Lift heavy objects with your legs: |
| Hay que doblar las rodillas y mantener la espalda recta cuando levanta objetos | You have to bend your knees and keep your back straight when you lift objects |
| También es importante pedir ayuda cuando necesita mover objetos pesados | It is also important to ask for help when you need to move heavy objects |
| Cambie los movimientos repetitivos: | Change the repetitive movements: |
| Es bueno alternar actividad exigente y actividad menos exigente | It is good to alternate demanding activity and less demanding activity |
| Y si puede usar equipos para levantar y mover objetos, mejor | And if you can use equipment to lift and move objects, that’s even better |
Now is your turn! ¡Ahora te toca a ti!
Study this back pain in Spanish vocabulary here with these flashcards
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