Lymph Node in Spanish

Where are the lymph nodes?

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) dictionary says there are hundreds of lymph nodes throughout the body, connected to one another by lymph vessels, and that clusters are found in the neck, axilla (underarm), chest, abdomen, and groin. MedlinePlus lists common areas where lymph nodes can be felt with the fingers: the groin, the armpit, the neck, under the jaw and chin, behind the ears, and on the back of the head.

What do lymph nodes do?

According to the NCI dictionary, lymph nodes filter substances that travel through the lymphatic fluid, and they contain lymphocytes (white blood cells) that help the body fight infection and disease. MedlinePlus calls them an important part of the immune system and says they help the body recognize and fight germs, infections, and other foreign substances.

Swollen lymph nodes on a chart

MedlinePlus explains that the term "swollen glands" refers to enlargement of one or more lymph nodes and that the medical name is lymphadenopathy. Infections are the most common cause, and painful lymph nodes are generally a sign that the body is fighting an infection. MedlinePlus also notes that a nearby lymph node is often the first place a cancer spreads. A lymph node biopsy is among the tests MedlinePlus says may be done.

What it means

A lymph node is a small bean-shaped structure that is part of the body's immune system. Lymph nodes filter substances that travel through the lymphatic fluid, and they contain lymphocytes (white blood cells) that help the body fight infection and disease. There are hundreds of lymph nodes throughout the body, connected to one another by lymph vessels, with clusters in the neck, axilla (underarm), chest, abdomen, and groin. The National Cancer Institute dictionary says a lymph node is also called a lymph gland. According to MedlinePlus, the term "swollen glands" refers to enlargement of one or more lymph nodes, the medical name for swollen lymph nodes is lymphadenopathy, and infections are the most common cause. In Spanish the term is ganglio linfático.

Spanish term: Ganglio linfático
Gender and article: masculine: el ganglio linfático (plural: los ganglios linfáticos)
Pronunciation: GAHN-glyoh leen-FAH-tee-koh

Other Spanish terms	Where it is used	Note
nódulo linfático	General	Other name given by the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary; MedlinePlus en español also writes nódulos linfáticos in its article on swollen lymph nodes.
linfonódulo	General	Other name given by the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary at the end of its entry.
nódulo linfoide	General	Other name given by the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary at the end of its entry.
ganglios	General	Short form MedlinePlus en español uses once the context is clear, as in ganglios inflamados.

Ganglio linfático is the term used by both MedlinePlus en español and the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary. It is masculine, and both sources write it in the plural: los ganglios linfáticos. The NCI dictionary adds that it is also called linfonódulo, nódulo linfático and nódulo linfoide, and MedlinePlus en español itself writes nódulos linfáticos in one sentence of its article. Once the context is clear, MedlinePlus en español shortens the term to ganglios.

For swollen lymph nodes, MedlinePlus en español uses ganglios inflamados and gives linfadenopatía as the medical term; glándulas inflamadas is listed among the alternative names. Related words on these pages are linfa (lymph), vasos linfáticos (lymph vessels), sistema linfático (lymphatic system), glóbulos blancos (white blood cells) and biopsia de ganglio linfático (lymph node biopsy). The places where nodes can be felt include la ingle (groin), la axila (armpit) and el cuello (neck).

Phrases for an appointment

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

Who	English	Spanish
Patient	I found a lump on the side of my neck about a week ago.	Hace como una semana me encontré un bulto a un lado del cuello.
Clinician	Does it hurt when I press on it?	¿Le duele cuando lo presiono?
Patient	Yes, it is tender, and I had a sore throat a few days before.	Sí, me duele al tocarlo, y unos días antes tuve dolor de garganta.
Clinician	It feels like a swollen lymph node. Did the swelling come on suddenly?	Parece un ganglio linfático inflamado. ¿La inflamación apareció de repente?
Clinician	I am going to feel the lymph nodes under your jaw, in your armpits, and in your groin.	Voy a palparle los ganglios linfáticos debajo de la mandíbula, en las axilas y en la ingle.
Clinician	Have you had a fever, night sweats, or weight loss without a clear reason?	¿Ha tenido fiebre, sudores nocturnos o pérdida de peso sin una causa clara?
Patient	The other doctor mentioned a lymph node biopsy. What is that?	El otro médico mencionó una biopsia de ganglio linfático. ¿Qué es eso?
Patient	How long does it take for a swollen lymph node to go back to its normal size?	¿Cuánto tarda un ganglio linfático inflamado en volver a su tamaño normal?

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Lymph Node
Spanish (Español)	Ganglio linfático
Chinese (中文)	淋巴結
Korean (한국어)	림프절
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Hạch bạch huyết
Filipino (Tagalog)	Lymph node
Portuguese (Português)	Linfonodo
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	ต่อมน้ำเหลือง
Japanese (日本語)	リンパ節

Where you'll see it

chartdischarge summarymedical recordsurgical report

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: Blood and immune system

All terms in this area: Blood and immune system — Sangre y sistema inmunitario

Sources

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