Inglés Científico-técnico I- Grado en Fisioterapia Dra.

Sandra Marrero Morales

PAIN

DESCRIBING PAIN
There are two categories of pain:

 Acute: it subsides as healing takes place and lasts for a short time,
usually for less than 3 months. It ranges from mild to severe.

 Chronic: It prolongs for 3 months and ranges from mild to severe. It

is called recurrent.

What do you say when you wish to explain how you feel?

Pain can be described with various degrees from 1 to 10 (ten being the
highest level) and different adjectives, but pain can be felt only by the

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Inglés Científico-técnico I- Grado en Fisioterapia Dra. Sandra Marrero Morales

person suffering from it. Therefore it is essential to use the best words to
communicate and explain how you feel.

LOCATION OF THE PAIN

 Where does it hurt? Where is your pain located? Show me where it
hurts

 Could you point to where exactly the pain is?

 Which part of your (head) is affected?

 Where did it start?

 Is there more than one site?

RADIATION OF THE PAIN

 Does it go/travel anywhere else?

 Does the pain radiate to any other part of your body/ to any other
place?

 Does the pain stay in one place or move around?

DURATION OF THE PAIN

 When did your pain start?

 How often does it occur?

 Is the pain always there?

 Is it continuous or does it come and go?

 How long have you had it?

 Does it hurt all the time?

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Inglés Científico-técnico I- Grado en Fisioterapia Dra. Sandra Marrero Morales

CHARACTER
 Can you describe the pain?

 What is the pain like?

 What kind of pain is it?

TYPES OF ONSET
 When does it start?

 When did it start hurting?

 When did it start?

 When was the first time you noticed it?

 Is it the first time you have it?

 Have you had this pain before?

SEVERITY
 How bad is it?

 How much does it hurt?

 On a scale of one to ten, how would you rank the pain?

 How would you rate your pain on a scale between 0 and 10, 0 is no
pain and 10 is the worst pain you have ever experienced?

 Is it bad enough to (wake you up)?

 Does it affect your work?

 Is the pain disrupting your daily activities?

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Inglés Científico-técnico I- Grado en Fisioterapia Dra. Sandra Marrero Morales

 Does the pain keep you awake at night?

THE McGILL PAIN SCALE

AGGRAVATING/RELIEVING FACTORS

 Does anything make the pain feel worse/better?

 Is there anything else that affects it?

 Is there anything that makes it worse/better?

 What makes it worse/better?

 Does anything make it worse/better?

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Inglés Científico-técnico I- Grado en Fisioterapia Dra. Sandra Marrero Morales

DESCRIBING PAIN

 Describing types of pain can lead to misunderstandings and the

McGill Pain Questionnaire was designed to provide vocabulary so
that the patients can communicate more clearly with nurses and
doctors.

 To describe pain, this questionnaire uses words like these:

Throbbing: Palpitante o pulsátil

Shooting: Pinchazo

Stabbing: punzante o penetrante

Cramping: calambre o cólico

Gnawing: persistente

Hot, burning: ardor

Aching: doloroso

Heavy: pesado

Splitting: ensordecedor (jaquecas)

Tiring, exhausting: cansino

Sickening: enfermizo

Dull: fuerte y repentino

Punishing, cruel: torturador, sin alivio

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Inglés Científico-técnico I- Grado en Fisioterapia Dra. Sandra Marrero Morales

TYPES OF PAIN
acute pain= dolor agudo
back pain / backache = dolor de espalda
burning pain = dolor con ardor
blinding pain = dolor enceguecedor
choking pain = dolor asfixiante
chronic pain = dolor crónico
colicky pain= dolor de cólicos
constant pain = dolor constante
cramping pain= calambrazos, cólicos
crippling pain= dolor paralizante, que te deja incapacitado
crushing pain = dolor opresivo
detectable pain = dolor perceptible
dull pain = dolor sordo
to dull the pain = calmar el dolor
excessive pain = dolor excesivo
extensive pain = dolor extenso
fleeting pain = dolor pasajero, fugaz o momentáneo
gnawing pain= dolor persistente
griping pain= retortijón de estómago
headache= dolor de cabeza
increasing pain = dolor que aumenta, que va en aumento
intense pain = dolor intenso
intermitent pain = dolor intermitente
irregular pain = dolor irregular (no todos los días)
mild pain = dolor leve
oppressive pain = dolor opresivo

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Inglés Científico-técnico I- Grado en Fisioterapia Dra. Sandra Marrero Morales

overall pain = dolor generalizado

pain and stifness = dolor y rigidez
pang = punzada, dolor breve y agudo
piercing pain = dolor penetrante, dolor punzante
postoperative pain = dolor postoperatorio
pressing pain= dolor por presión
referred pain= dolor reflejo
searing pain = dolor agudo, dolor punzante
severe pain = dolor severo
sharp pain = dolor agudo
sore throat= dolor de garganta
slight pain = dolor leve
stabbing pain= dolor punzante
stinging pain= dolor punzante, agudo
stitch (pain in the side of the body) = punzada, dolor de costado
stomach pain= dolor de estómago
sudden pain = dolor súbito o repentino
throbbing pain = dolor palpitante o pulsátil
transient pain = dolor pasajero, dolor transitorio
twinge = dolor agudo y repentino, punzada
unbearable pain= dolor insoportable

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Inglés Científico-técnico I- Grado en Fisioterapia Dra. Sandra Marrero Morales