How to ask about pain (without guessing)


This week’s Spanish on shift: Pain History

Reader,

¡Buenos días amigos!

One of the most important—and hardest—questions to ask through a language barrier is simple: "Where does it hurt?"

Not because the words are complex. Because pain is subjective, and you need to ask follow-ups that actually clarify the picture.

Last week, we dropped a full carousel on pain history scripts on Instagram. Here's what made it into our system:

The Core Phrases

¿Dónde le duele? (Where does it hurt?)

¿Desde cuándo le duele? (How long has it been hurting?)

¿Es un dolor agudo o sordo? (Is it sharp or dull?)

¿Qué tan fuerte es el dolor? (Escala 1-10) (How severe is the pain? Scale 1-10)

¿El dolor es constante o va y viene? (Is the pain constant or does it come and go?)

¿Qué mejora el dolor? (Does anything help?)

¿Qué empeora el dolor? (Does anything make it worse?)

Why This Matters

Pain assessment is foundational to triage and treatment. A patient might say "me duele" (it hurts), but you need to distinguish between musculoskeletal pain, visceral pain, neuropathic pain. That distinction changes everything.

The script we built focuses on the questions that actually differentiate—not just translating your English questions word-for-word, but using the Spanish structures that patients naturally use to describe pain.

Quick Win for This Week

Pick one phrase from the list above and use it on your next Spanish-speaking patient. Notice how the follow-up question lands. That's the moment you'll understand why these scripts matter. Always remember to use a medical interpreter if you are just learning!

Next week: Emergency intake scripting. The phrases that get you critical information fast when someone walks in unstable.

¡Hasta luego!

—Tyler
HablaMed

Ps. Want to learn more? Fill out this form to get our FREE No-Fluff Grammar guide with 3 formulas that get you through 80% of a patient interview! This is the first version of what is to become our Medical Spanish Grammar Book where we do deep dives on all our recommendations! No repetitive grammar drills, just practical Spanish that will take you to the next level!

Request your copy HERE

Tyler@Habla-med.com

600 1st Ave, Ste 330 PMB 92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2246
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HablaMed

For frontline healthcare workers (doctors, nurses, PAs/NPs, CNAs, medics). Weekly clinical scenarios—pain assessment, emergency intake, medication dosing, procedure explanation, discharge instructions. Real phrases tested in patient rooms. Practical info you can use on shift!

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