Ramiro no puede tragar.
Medical Spanish for healthcare providers: dialogue 23 (Ramiro cannot swallow.)
peritonsillar abscess - absceso periamigdalino
Ramiro: ¡Por favor, ayúdeme! ¡Siento que me voy a ahogar!
(Please help me! I feel like I am going to suffocate!) Note: "ahogar" can also mean "choke" or "drown."
Doctora: Tranquilo, dígame, ¿qué es lo que tiene?
(Calm down. Tell me, what is it that is going on?) Note: Literally, it says, "Tranquil, tell me, what is it that you have?"
Ramiro: Hace diez días empecé a tener malestar en la garganta. Me recetaron tratamiento porque me diagnosticaron amigdalitis pultácea.
(Ten days ago, I began to have a sore throat [discomfort in the throat]. They prescribed (to me) treatment because they diagnosed (to me) purulent tonsilitis.)
Doctora: Ah, entiendo. Abra la boca, por favor.
(Ah, I understand. Open your mouth, please.)
Ramiro: Hoy estoy peor que nunca. Ahora, no puedo tragar ni siquiera mi propia saliva. Tengo dos días sólo tomando líquidos. Vine porque siento que me falta el aire para respirar.
(Today I am worse than ever. Now, I cannot even swallow my own saliva. For two days, I am only taking liquids. I came because I feel that I am short of breath.) Note: Remember that double negatives are normal in Spanish. Literally, the sentence reads, "Today I am worse than never. Now, I cannot swallow not even my own saliva. I have two days only taking liquids. I came because I feel that it lacks to me the air for to breathe."
Doctora: Sí, en efecto tiene algo severo. Es un absceso periamigdalino, que requiere drenaje quirúrgico de inmediato. Voy a llamar al servicio de cirugía.
(Yes, in effect you have something severe. It is a peritonsillar abscess, that requires surgical drainage immediately. I am going to call the surgical service.)
Aviso: Esta página no es para proveer consejos médicos o información médica, sino sólo para ayudar a las personas a comunicarse en español. Si tiene algún problema de salud, consulte a su médico.
Notice: This page is not for providing medical advice or medical information, but only for helping people to communicate in Spanish. If you have a health problem, consult your doctor.