Sinuses in Spanish

When the sinuses are inflamed

MedlinePlus says the cause of sinusitis can be an infection or another problem, and that acute sinusitis often starts as a cold. Symptoms can include fever, weakness, fatigue, cough, and congestion, and there may also be mucus drainage in the back of the throat, called postnasal drip. A health care professional diagnoses sinusitis based on the symptoms and an examination of the nose and face. A language reference cannot diagnose a sinus problem.

What it means

The sinuses are hollow air spaces within the bones surrounding the nose. They produce mucus, which drains into the nose. The National Cancer Institute calls each one a paranasal sinus and explains that the paranasal sinuses are named after the bones that contain them: frontal (the lower forehead), maxillary (cheekbones), ethmoid (beside the upper nose), and sphenoid (behind the nose). They open into the nasal cavity, the space inside the nose, and are lined with cells that make mucus to keep the nose from drying out during breathing. If the nose is swollen, this can block the sinuses and cause pain, and sinusitis means the sinuses are inflamed. In Spanish they are called senos paranasales.

Spanish term: Senos paranasales
Gender and article: masculine plural: los senos paranasales (singular: el seno paranasal)
Pronunciation: SEH-nohs pah-rah-nah-SAH-lehs

Other Spanish terms	Where it is used	Note
seno nasal	General	Shorter name; the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary says a seno paranasal is also called seno nasal.
seno accesorio de la nariz	General	Given by the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary as another name for a seno paranasal.
seno accesorio de las fosas nasales	General	Given by the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary as another name for a seno paranasal.

Senos paranasales is the name MedlinePlus en español uses, in the plural, and the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary enters the singular seno paranasal. The noun is masculine: el seno, los senos. The RAE dictionary gives seno an anatomy sense, a cavity within the thickness of a bone or formed where several bones meet, with the examples el seno frontal and el seno maxilar. Seno has other senses in the same entry, including the breast (pecho).

The National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary names the four groups: senos frontales, senos maxilares, senos o celdillas etmoidales and senos esfenoidales. It also gives three other names for a paranasal sinus: seno accesorio de la nariz, seno accesorio de las fosas nasales and seno nasal. MedlinePlus en español describes sinusitis as inflammation of the senos paranasales and lists infección de los senos paranasales among its other names. Mucus is moco or secreción mucosa, and postnasal drip is goteo retronasal.

Phrases for an appointment

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

Who	English	Spanish
Patient	I feel a lot of pressure in my forehead and cheeks.	Siento mucha presión en la frente y en las mejillas.
Clinician	How long has your nose been congested?	¿Desde cuándo tiene la nariz congestionada?
Patient	It started with a cold about ten days ago.	Empezó con un resfriado hace unos diez días.
Clinician	I am going to examine your nose and press gently on your face over the sinuses.	Voy a examinarle la nariz y a presionar suavemente la cara sobre los senos paranasales.
Patient	I feel mucus draining down the back of my throat.	Siento que la mucosidad me baja por la parte de atrás de la garganta.
Clinician	Do you have a fever or a cough?	¿Tiene fiebre o tos?
Patient	Which sinuses are the ones behind the forehead?	¿Cuáles son los senos paranasales que están detrás de la frente?
Clinician	We may order an imaging test of your sinuses.	Es posible que pidamos una prueba de imagen de los senos paranasales.

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Sinuses
Spanish (Español)	Senos paranasales
Chinese (中文)	鼻竇
Korean (한국어)	부비동
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Xoang mũi
Filipino (Tagalog)	Sinus
Portuguese (Português)	Seios paranasais
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	โพรงอากาศ
Japanese (日本語)	副鼻腔

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: Lungs and breathing

All terms in this area: Lungs and breathing — Pulmones y respiración

Sources

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