Presented by Xin “Frank” Qi

Chinese Medical Interest Group at DGSOM

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Introduction to Medical Cantonese

Lecture 3

Muscular Skeletal System & Pain Descriptor

Chapter 3: Pain descriptors

• Pain

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• Discomfort

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• Ache

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• Tenderness

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• Soreness

• Tingling

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• Numbness

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• Itchiness

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• Swelling

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• Sharp pain

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• Cramping

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• Throbbing

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• Burning

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• Weakness

• Light

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• Moderate

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• Severe

• Continuous

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• Episodic

• Superficial

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• Deep

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Chapter 3: Pain descriptors

Cultural and translation notes:

• 触痛 and 跳痛 are formal words not usually used colloquially. Patient may say 按上去 for tenderness, and 一跳一跳 for throbbing pain.
• 抽筋 – verb or noun that describe the action of muscle cramp. 绞痛 is the sensation of cramping. 心绞 = angina

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�Practice

• Is the pain consistent or does it come and go?

tung3 hai6 bat1 ting4 tung3 ding6 hai6 jat1 zan6 jau5 jat1 zan6 mou5

痛 係 不 停 痛 定 係 一 陣 有 一 陣 冇

• My palm is burning and tingling, and my wrist is a little sore too.

ngo5 sau2 zoeng2 jau5 ci3 ci3 tung3 tung4 maai4 sau2 wun2 dou1 siu2 siu2 tung3

我 手 掌 有 刺 刺 痛 痛 同 埋 手 腕 都 少 少 痛

• It was only discomfort at first, then my neck muscles would cramp up.

hoi1 ci2 zi2 hai6 m4 syu1 fuk6, zi1 hau6 geng2 gun1 jau5 haak3 zing3

開 始 只 係 唔 舒 服，之 後 頸 筋 有 痙 攣

• There is pain surrounding my head, a throbbing pain

tau4 jau5 tung3 gam2 gok3 wui5 waan4 zau1 go3 tau4, mak6 dung6 tung3

頭 有 痛 感 覺 會 環 繞 個 頭，脈 動 痛

Chapter 3: General Body Area

• Upper arm

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• Lower arm

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• Palm

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• Back of hand

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• Chest

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• Abdomen

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• Pubic area

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• Upper back

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• Lower back

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• Buttocks

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• Ankle

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• Five digits

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• Nerve

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• Spinal cord

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• Muscle

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• Tendon

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• Ligament

• Bone

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• Cartilage

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• Joint

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• Bursa

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• Growth plate

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Chapter 3: General Body Area

Cultural and translation notes:

• 胸部 is an ambiguous word and can mean either chest or breast. 乳房 is the specific word for breast.
• 脊髓 – spinal cord, c – spinal column. Be ware that patient may use two words interchangeably.
• 筋 is the more colloquial term to say tendon, whereas is its anatomical term. The patient may use 筋 to refer to muscle cramp, but to avoid confusion, it may be the best for you to use the word .
• 经 is a TCM concept, a path where Qi flows. 经络不– the inability of Qi to flow is explanation for cold extremities and pain in TCM. These concepts are unrelated to nerves.

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�Practice

• Many lower backpain are muscle instead of bone pain.

hou2 do1 jiu1 tung3 dou1 hai6 gan1 juk6 tung3 m4 hai6 gwat1 tung3

好 多 腰 痛 都 係 筋 肉 痛 唔 係 骨 痛

• I injured my ankle ligament many years ago.

ngo5 hou2 nin4 cin4 soeng1 soeng1 ngo5 go3 gok3 gwat1 daai6 sin3

我 好 年 前 傷 過 我 個 踝 關 帶 線

• Joint injury that involves the growth plate may cause complications.

juk1 zit3 jim4 si6 sang1 coeng4 baan2 ge3 gwaan1 zit3 ho2 nang4 zeoi3 siu3 fuk1 zaap6 zing3

涉及 生 長 板 嘅 關 節 傷 可 能 會 有 複 雜 症

Chapter 3: Bones

• Skull

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• Mandible

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• Clavicle

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• Sternum

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• Rib

• Scapula

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• Pelvis

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• Cervical vertebra

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• Thoracic vertebra

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• Lumbar vertebra

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• Femur

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• Patella

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• Meniscus

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Chapter 3: Conditions

• Disability

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• Fracture

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• Dislocation

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• Unstable

m4 wan2 ding6

唔 穩 定

• Muscle strain

• Arthritis

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• Tendonitis

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• Synovitis

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• Bursitis

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• ACL tear

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• Carpal tunnel

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• Osteoporosis

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• Gout

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• Inflammation

jyun4 zing3

炎症

• Overuse

gwo3 dou6 si6 jung6

過度使用

• Cervical spine conditions

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• Spinal stenosis

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• Disk herniation

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• Degenerative disk disease

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• Radiculopathy

• Rheumatoid arthritis

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Chapter 3: Conditions

Cultural and translation notes:

• “残疾” is the official word for describing disability. “People with disability” can be translated as “ 残疾人 ”. Avoid terms such as “ 残废” and “ 失能” to describe disability. “ ” is derogatory and suggests that people with disability is a waste to society. “ ” means loss of ability to perform daily functions, which is not synonymous to disability.

Chapter 3: Tests and Treatments

• Physical Exam

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• X-ray

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• CT

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• MRI

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• Physical therapy

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• Pain relievers

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• Ice / heat

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• NSAID

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• Aspirin

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• Ibuprofen

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• Corticosteroid

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• Acetaminophen

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• Opioids

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• Vitamin D

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• Calcium

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Practice:

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• Arthritis is a common cause of knee, wrist, and lower back pain.

gwaan1 zit3 jin4 hai6 jat1 go3 soeng4 gin3 gei1 zuk6 nei5, sau2 wun2 tung4 jiu1 tung3 ge3 coeng4 gin3 jyun4 jan4

關 節 炎 係 一 個 常 見 嘅 原 因， 會 引 起 膝、 手 腕 同 腰 痛。

• Your symptoms suggest that the vertebra is pressing on nerve roots in your cervical spine.

nei5 ge3 zing3 jong6 si6 jin4 si6 zek3 ging1 zeoi1 ngaat3 zyu6 san4 ging1 gan1

你 嘅 症 狀 似 係 因 為 頸 椎 壓 住 神 經 根。

• I would like to take an X-ray first to see if there is any fracture.

ngo5 soeng2 sin1 ziu3 jat1 haa5 X gwong1 pin2, taai2 haa5 jau5 mou5 gwat1 zit3

我 想 先 照 一 下 X 光 片， 睇 下 有 冇 骨 折。

• Osteoporosis is common in elders. Vitamin D and calcium supplement can help prevent it.

gwat1 zik6 sau3 seon3 hai6 lou5 nin4 jan4 soeng4 gin3 ge3, wai6 taam1 D tung4 gaau1 seon3 bou2 cung4 ho2 ji5 fong4 zi2

骨 質 疏 鬆 係 老 年 人 常 見 嘅， 維 他 命 D 同 鈣 補 充 可以 防 止。

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• I will prescribe some opioids after your ACL surgery. Icing and physical therapy are important for proper healing.

ngo5 wui5 hoi1 jat1 di1 aa3 pin3 leoi6 joek6 bei2 nei5, zoi6 nei5 zou6 jyun4 daai6 zit3 sau1 siu3 zi1 hau6

我 會 開 一 啲 阿 片 類 藥 比 你， 喺 你 做 前 交 叉 韌 帶 手 術 之 後。

bing1 fu3 tung4 mat6 lei5 zi6 liu4 dou1 hou2 zung6 jiu3, ho2 ji5 bong1 zyu6 zing3 soeng4 fuk1 jyun4

冰 敷 同 物 理 治 療 都 好 重 要， 可 以 幫 助 正 常 復 原。

• The tingling and numbness in your finger and toes are symptoms of nerve damage from diabetes. Aspirin and acetaminophen won’t have much effect.

nei5 ge3 sau2 zi2 tung4 zek3 gei1 zau2 ge3 ci3 tung3 tung4 maa4 muk6, si6 tong4 zo2 tong4 niu6 beng6 dou2 san4 ging1 sau1 seon3�你 嘅 手 指 同 隻 腳 趾 嘅 刺 痛 同 麻 木， 係 糖 尿 病 導 致 神 經 受 損。

aa3 si1 pat1 lam4 tung4 taai3 nok6 faat3 jyun4 dou1 m4 hai6 hou2 jau5 haau6 gwo2

阿 司 匹 林 同 泰 諾 發 炎 都 唔 係 好 有 效 果。

Practice:

Conflict of interest

• No conflict of interest

Credit

• Text in slides and workbook written by Xin “Frank” Qi
• With additional help from members of the CMIG @UCLA
• Video editing by Jasmine Deng