Osteoporosis in Spanish

What it means

Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become weak and are likely to fracture (break). It can develop when bone mineral density and bone mass decrease, or when the structure and strength of bone change. MedlinePlus says it is called a "silent" disease because it doesn't usually cause symptoms, so a person may not even know they have it until they break a bone. A break could happen with any bone, but it's most common in the bones of the hip, the vertebrae in the spine, and the wrist. Osteoporosis is more common in women, especially after menopause, and the risk increases as a person gets older. To find out whether someone has osteoporosis, a provider will likely order a bone density scan.

Osteoporosis in Spanish

Spanish term: Osteoporosis
Gender and article: feminine: la osteoporosis
Pronunciation: ohs-teh-oh-poh-ROH-sees

Osteoporosis is spelled the same way in Spanish and in English. The Spanish dictionary marks it as a feminine noun and a medical term, la osteoporosis, and defines it as fragility of the bones produced by their decalcification, with a decrease in density. MedlinePlus en español calls it una afección; the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases calls it una enfermedad and says it is known as la enfermedad silenciosa.

Words from the MedlinePlus en español page: densidad mineral ósea (bone mineral density), masa ósea (bone mass), fracturarse or romperse (to fracture or break), and densitometría ósea for the bone density scan a provider will probably order. The fracture sites it names as most common are la cadera (hip), las vértebras (vertebrae) and la muñeca (wrist). After la menopausia it adds the adjective posmenopáusica in parentheses. The Institute's Spanish page describes the symptoms of a broken vertebra with dolor intenso en la espalda (severe back pain) and postura jorobada o encorvada (a stooped or hunched posture).

Phrases for an appointment

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

Who	English	Spanish
Clinician	Have you ever broken a bone?	¿Alguna vez se ha roto un hueso?
Patient	Yes, I broke my wrist last year after a minor fall.	Sí, me rompí la muñeca el año pasado después de una caída leve.
Clinician	Did either of your parents have osteoporosis or break a hip?	¿Alguno de sus padres tuvo osteoporosis o se rompió la cadera?
Patient	My mother broke her hip. Could I have osteoporosis without any symptoms?	Mi madre se rompió la cadera. ¿Podría yo tener osteoporosis sin ningún síntoma?
Clinician	I am going to order a bone density scan.	Voy a pedirle una densitometría ósea.
Patient	Does the scan hurt? How long does it take?	¿Duele la densitometría? ¿Cuánto tiempo tarda?
Clinician	Have you noticed that you have lost height?	¿Ha notado que ha perdido estatura?
Patient	Do I get enough calcium and vitamin D from what I eat?	¿Recibo suficiente calcio y vitamina D con lo que como?

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Osteoporosis
Spanish (Español)	Osteoporosis
Chinese (中文)	骨質疏鬆症
Korean (한국어)	골다공증
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Loãng xương
Filipino (Tagalog)	Osteoporosis
Portuguese (Português)	Osteoporose
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	โรคกระดูกพรุน
Japanese (日本語)	骨粗しょう症

Where you'll see it

chartEOBreferralmedical record

Related ICD-10-CM category

ICD-10-CM code: M81 → Osteoporosis without current pathological fracture

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.