Cartilage in Spanish

Where is cartilage found?

MedlinePlus places cartilage at the ends of the bones at a joint and in other parts of the body such as the ears, nose, and windpipe. The NCI dictionary adds the larynx to that list. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) describes joint cartilage as the tissue that covers the ends where two bones meet to form a joint.

Cartilage and osteoarthritis

According to NIAMS, osteoarthritis happens when the cartilage and other tissues within the joint break down or have a change in their structure, and this does not happen because of simple wear and tear on the joints. NIAMS also notes that bits of bone or cartilage can break off and float inside the joint space. MedlinePlus adds that injured, inflamed, or damaged cartilage can lead to joint damage and deformity.

What it means

Cartilage is the tough but flexible tissue that covers the ends of the bones at a joint. It also gives shape and support to other parts of the body, such as the ears, nose, and windpipe. Healthy cartilage helps a person move by allowing the bones to glide over each other, and it protects bones by preventing them from rubbing against each other. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) defines it as a tough, flexible tissue that lines joints and gives structure to the nose, ears, larynx, and other parts of the body. Injured, inflamed, or damaged cartilage can cause symptoms such as pain and limited movement. Causes of cartilage problems include tears and injuries, genetic factors, and some types of arthritis; osteoarthritis results from breakdown of cartilage.

Cartilage in Spanish

Spanish term: Cartílago
Gender and article: masculine: el cartílago
Pronunciation: kar-TEE-lah-goh

Cartílago is the word in both MedlinePlus en español and the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary. It is masculine, el cartílago, and MedlinePlus en español uses the plural los cartílagos. MedlinePlus en español describes it as el tejido firme, pero flexible, que cubre los extremos de los huesos en una articulación; the NCI entry calls it a tejido fuerte y flexible.

The two Spanish sources differ in the list of body parts. Where the English texts both say ears, MedlinePlus en español writes las orejas and the NCI dictionary writes los oídos. For the windpipe MedlinePlus en español uses la tráquea, and for the larynx the NCI dictionary uses la laringe. Related vocabulary on the MedlinePlus en español page: articulación (joint), huesos (bones), rupturas y lesiones (tears and injuries) and osteoartritis (osteoarthritis), which it says results from la degradación del cartílago. Its phrase for healthy cartilage is el cartílago sano, and for damaged cartilage el cartílago lesionado, inflamado o dañado.

Phrases for an appointment

What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:

Who	English	Spanish
Clinician	The MRI shows a tear in the cartilage of your knee.	La resonancia magnética muestra una ruptura en el cartílago de la rodilla.
Patient	What is cartilage for?	¿Para qué sirve el cartílago?
Clinician	It covers the ends of the bones so they can glide over each other without rubbing.	Cubre los extremos de los huesos para que puedan deslizarse uno sobre otro sin frotarse.
Patient	My knee hurts when I go down stairs, and sometimes it locks.	Me duele la rodilla al bajar escaleras, y a veces se me traba.
Clinician	Did you injure the joint playing sports or in a fall?	¿Se lesionó la articulación haciendo deporte o en una caída?
Patient	Is this osteoarthritis, or is it a cartilage injury?	¿Es osteoartritis, o es una lesión del cartílago?
Patient	Can damaged cartilage heal on its own?	¿El cartílago dañado puede sanar por sí solo?
Clinician	I am going to refer you to an orthopedic specialist to talk about your options.	Voy a remitirle a un especialista en ortopedia para hablar de sus opciones.

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Cartilage
Spanish (Español)	Cartílago
Chinese (中文)	軟骨
Korean (한국어)	연골
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Sụn
Filipino (Tagalog)	Kartilago
Portuguese (Português)	Cartilagem
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	กระดูกอ่อน
Japanese (日本語)	軟骨

Where you'll see it

radiology reportchartclinic notesdischarge summary

Related terms

Your right to an interpreter in the United States

If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.

You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»

More terms: Bones, joints and muscles

All terms in this area: Bones, joints and muscles — Huesos, articulaciones y músculos

Sources

This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.