Gout in Spanish

What it means

Gout is a common type of inflammatory arthritis that causes pain, swelling, and redness in one or more joints. It happens when too much uric acid, a waste product the body makes when it breaks down substances called purines, builds up over a long time and forms needle-like crystals in a joint. Gout usually comes as a flare that often starts suddenly at night, can last a week or two, and frequently begins in the big toe. To check for it, a health care provider may test fluid from the painful joint for uric acid crystals or order a uric acid blood or urine test.

Gout in Spanish

Spanish term: Gota
Gender and article: feminine: la gota
Pronunciation: GOH-tah

Other Spanish terms	Where it is used	Note
podagra	General	Formal medical synonym; the Spanish dictionary defines it as gout especially when it affects the feet.
artritis gotosa	General	Name MedlinePlus en español gives to chronic gout, the form with repeated episodes.
gota aguda / gota crónica	General	Listed among the alternative names: acute gout and chronic gout (repeated episodes of pain and swelling).

Gota is the word used by both MedlinePlus en español and the Spanish dictionary's medical entry, and it is always feminine: la gota, un ataque de gota. It is also a false friend to watch for, because the first meaning of gota is a drop of liquid, and the plural gotas names medicine given in drops. "Tengo gota" means "I have gout"; "tengo gotas" means "I have drops."

MedlinePlus en español calls a gout flare an ataque de gota and also uses brote. Words MedlinePlus en español uses alongside it are ácido úrico (uric acid), hiperuricemia (too much uric acid in the blood) and tofos (tophi, hard uric acid deposits under the skin).

Phrases for an appointment

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

Who	English	Spanish
Patient	My big toe started hurting a lot last night, and it is red and swollen.	Anoche me empezó a doler mucho el dedo gordo del pie, y lo tengo rojo e hinchado.
Clinician	Have you ever had a gout attack before?	¿Ha tenido alguna vez un ataque de gota?
Patient	Yes, about two years ago, in the same foot.	Sí, hace unos dos años, en el mismo pie.
Clinician	Does the joint feel warm? Does it hurt when something touches it?	¿Siente caliente la articulación? ¿Le duele cuando algo la toca?
Patient	The pain woke me up, and I can't even stand the sheet on my foot.	El dolor me despertó, y no aguanto ni la sábana sobre el pie.
Clinician	I am going to order a blood test to check your uric acid level.	Voy a pedirle un análisis de sangre para revisar su nivel de ácido úrico.
Clinician	We may also take a sample of fluid from the joint to examine it.	Es posible que también le saquemos una muestra de líquido de la articulación para examinarla.
Patient	My father had gout too. Should I write down what I eat and drink before the next visit?	Mi padre también tenía gota. ¿Debo anotar lo que como y bebo antes de la próxima consulta?

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Gout
Spanish (Español)	Gota
Chinese (中文)	痛風
Korean (한국어)	통풍
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Bệnh gout
Filipino (Tagalog)	Gout
Portuguese (Português)	Gota
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	โรคเกาต์
Japanese (日本語)	痛風

Where you'll see it

chartEOBmedical recordreferralprescription

Related ICD-10-CM category

ICD-10-CM code: M10 → Gout

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.