Understanding medical terminology is crucial when discussing health concerns, especially conditions like dysphagia, which affects swallowing. This guide provides the essential Korean term for dysphagia and related vocabulary, helping you communicate effectively with healthcare professionals in Korea about symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment related to swallowing difficulties.
Table Of Content
Core Term
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Expression: 연하장애
Pronunciation: yeon-ha-jang-ae
Meaning: Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
Related Medical Terms
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Expression: 삼킴곤란
Pronunciation: sam-kim-gon-lan
Meaning: Difficulty swallowing (more descriptive term) -
Expression: 흡인
Pronunciation: heup-in
Meaning: Aspiration (food/liquid entering the airway) -
Expression: 연하반사
Pronunciation: yeon-ha-ban-sa
Meaning: Swallowing reflex -
Expression: 식도
Pronunciation: sik-do
Meaning: Esophagus -
Expression: 인두
Pronunciation: in-du
Meaning: Pharynx -
Expression: 후두
Pronunciation: hu-du
Meaning: Larynx -
Expression: 뇌졸중
Pronunciation: noe-jol-jung
Meaning: Stroke (a common cause of dysphagia) -
Expression: 신경과
Pronunciation: sin-gyeong-gwa
Meaning: Neurology department -
Expression: 재활의학과
Pronunciation: jae-hwal-ui-hak-gwa
Meaning: Rehabilitation medicine department -
Expression: 연하검사
Pronunciation: yeon-ha-geom-sa
Meaning: Swallowing test/evaluation -
Expression: 영양 상태
Pronunciation: yeong-yang sang-tae
Meaning: Nutritional status -
Expression: 위루관
Pronunciation: wi-ru-gwan
Meaning: Gastrostomy tube (feeding tube)
Describing Symptoms
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Expression: 음식을 삼키기 힘들어요.
Pronunciation: eum-si-geul sam-ki-gi him-deu-reo-yo.
Meaning: It’s difficult to swallow food. -
Expression: 물 마실 때 사레가 자주 들어요.
Pronunciation: mul ma-sil ttae sa-re-ga ja-ju deu-reo-yo.
Meaning: I often choke when drinking water. -
Expression: 밥 먹다가 기침을 많이 해요.
Pronunciation: bap meok-da-ga gi-chim-eul ma-ni hae-yo.
Meaning: I cough a lot while eating. -
Expression: 목에 음식이 걸린 느낌이 들어요.
Pronunciation: mo-ge eum-si-gi geol-lin neu-kki-mi deu-reo-yo.
Meaning: I feel like food is stuck in my throat. -
Expression: 삼킬 때 통증이 있어요.
Pronunciation: sam-kil ttae tong-jjeung-i i-sseo-yo.
Meaning: I have pain when swallowing. -
Expression: 식사 시간이 너무 오래 걸려요.
Pronunciation: sik-sa si-ga-ni neo-mu o-rae geol-lyeo-yo.
Meaning: Meal times take too long. -
Expression: 음식이 기도로 넘어가는 것 같아요.
Pronunciation: eum-si-gi gi-do-ro neo-meo-ga-neun geot ga-ta-yo.
Meaning: I feel like food is going down the wrong pipe (airway). -
Expression: 침을 삼키는 것도 불편해요.
Pronunciation: chim-eul sam-ki-neun geot-do bul-pyeon-hae-yo.
Meaning: Even swallowing saliva is uncomfortable. -
Expression: 식사 후에 목소리가 변해요.
Pronunciation: sik-sa hu-e mok-so-ri-ga byeon-hae-yo.
Meaning: My voice changes after eating. -
Expression: 특정 음식을 삼키기 더 어려워요.
Pronunciation: teuk-jeong eum-si-geul sam-ki-gi deo eo-ryeo-wo-yo.
Meaning: It’s harder to swallow certain foods. -
Expression: 체중이 줄었어요.
Pronunciation: che-jung-i ju-reo-sseo-yo.
Meaning: I’ve lost weight.
Communicating with Medical Staff
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Expression: 연하장애 증상이 있는 것 같아요.
Pronunciation: yeon-ha-jang-ae jeung-sang-i it-neun geot ga-ta-yo.
Meaning: I think I have symptoms of dysphagia. -
Expression: 삼킴 문제를 상담하고 싶어요.
Pronunciation: sam-kim mun-je-reul sang-dam-ha-go si-peo-yo.
Meaning: I want to consult about my swallowing problem. -
Expression: 어떤 검사가 필요한가요?
Pronunciation: eo-tteon geom-sa-ga pi-ryo-han-ga-yo?
Meaning: What kind of tests are needed? -
Expression: 연하장애의 원인이 무엇인가요?
Pronunciation: yeon-ha-jang-ae-ui won-i-ni mu-eo-sin-ga-yo?
Meaning: What is the cause of the dysphagia? -
Expression: 치료 방법은 어떤 것들이 있나요?
Pronunciation: chi-ryo bang-beo-beun eo-tteon geot-deu-ri in-na-yo?
Meaning: What treatment options are available? -
Expression: 연하 재활 치료를 받을 수 있나요?
Pronunciation: yeon-ha jae-hwal chi-ryo-reul ba-deul su in-na-yo?
Meaning: Can I receive swallowing rehabilitation therapy? -
Expression: 식단 조절이 필요한가요?
Pronunciation: sik-dan jo-jeo-ri pi-ryo-han-ga-yo?
Meaning: Is dietary modification necessary? -
Expression: 어떤 음식을 피해야 하나요?
Pronunciation: eo-tteon eum-si-geul pi-hae-ya ha-na-yo?
Meaning: What foods should I avoid? -
Expression: 이 약이 삼키는 데 영향을 주나요?
Pronunciation: i ya-gi sam-ki-neun de yeong-hyang-eul ju-na-yo?
Meaning: Does this medication affect swallowing? -
Expression: 흡인성 폐렴의 위험이 있나요?
Pronunciation: heu-bin-sseong pye-ryeom-ui wi-heom-i in-na-yo?
Meaning: Is there a risk of aspiration pneumonia? -
Expression: 삼키기 쉬운 음식 형태는 무엇인가요?
Pronunciation: sam-ki-gi swi-un eum-sik hyeong-tae-neun mu-eo-sin-ga-yo?
Meaning: What food textures are easier to swallow? -
Expression: 가족이 도울 수 있는 방법이 있나요?
Pronunciation: ga-jo-gi do-ul su it-neun bang-beo-bi in-na-yo?
Meaning: Is there anything my family can do to help?
Korean Culture Notes
When discussing health issues like dysphagia in Korea, it’s helpful to be aware of certain cultural aspects. Being direct but polite when describing symptoms to doctors is generally well-received. Using formal language (존댓말 – jon-daen-mal) with medical professionals is standard practice.
Family involvement in healthcare decisions is common in Korea. Often, family members accompany patients to appointments and participate in discussions about treatment plans, especially for older patients or those with significant health challenges like dysphagia.
There might be a cultural tendency to endure discomfort silently. However, it’s crucial to clearly communicate all symptoms related to swallowing difficulties, such as pain, coughing, or choking, to ensure proper diagnosis and care.
Korea has an advanced healthcare system. Seeking help from specialists in departments like Neurology (신경과 – sin-gyeong-gwa), Otolaryngology (ENT, 이비인후과 – i-bi-in-hu-gwa), or Rehabilitation Medicine (재활의학과 – jae-hwal-ui-hak-gwa) is common for conditions like dysphagia.
Real Conversation Example
Situation: A patient (Mr. Kim) is visiting a doctor to discuss recent swallowing difficulties.
Roles: A: Mr. Kim (Patient), B: Doctor
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Expression: A: 의사 선생님, 요즘 음식을 삼키기가 너무 힘듭니다.
Pronunciation: ui-sa seon-saeng-nim, yo-jeum eum-si-geul sam-ki-gi-ga neo-mu him-deum-ni-da.
Meaning: Doctor, lately it’s been very difficult to swallow food. -
Expression: B: 아, 그러세요? 언제부터 그런 증상이 있으셨나요? 구체적으로 어떤 점이 불편하신가요?
Pronunciation: a, geu-reo-se-yo? eon-je-bu-teo geu-reon jeung-sang-i i-sseu-syeon-na-yo? gu-che-jeo-geu-ro eo-tteon jeo-mi bul-pyeon-ha-sin-ga-yo?
Meaning: Oh, really? Since when have you had these symptoms? Specifically, what is uncomfortable? -
Expression: A: 한 달 정도 된 것 같아요. 특히 물 마실 때 사레가 자주 들고, 밥 먹다가 기침도 하고요. 목에 뭐가 걸린 느낌도 들어요.
Pronunciation: han dal jeong-do doen geot ga-ta-yo. teu-ki mul ma-sil ttae sa-re-ga ja-ju deul-go, bap meok-da-ga gi-chim-do ha-go-yo. mo-ge mwo-ga geol-lin neu-kkim-do deu-reo-yo.
Meaning: I think it’s been about a month. I especially choke often when drinking water, and I cough while eating. I also feel like something is stuck in my throat. -
Expression: B: 네, 연하장애가 의심되는군요. 정확한 진단을 위해 연하검사가 필요할 수 있습니다.
Pronunciation: ne, yeon-ha-jang-ae-ga ui-sim-doe-neun-gun-yo. jeong-hwa-kan jin-dan-eul wi-hae yeon-ha-geom-sa-ga pi-ryo-hal su it-seum-ni-da.
Meaning: Yes, dysphagia is suspected. A swallowing evaluation may be necessary for an accurate diagnosis. -
Expression: A: 연하검사는 어떻게 하는 건가요? 그리고 치료는 가능한가요?
Pronunciation: yeon-ha-geom-sa-neun eo-tteo-ke ha-neun geon-ga-yo? geu-ri-go chi-ryo-neun ga-neung-han-ga-yo?
Meaning: How is the swallowing test done? And is treatment possible? -
Expression: B: 검사 방법은 여러 가지가 있는데, 환자분 상태에 맞는 검사를 진행할 겁니다. 원인에 따라 다르지만, 연하 재활 치료나 식단 조절 등으로 호전될 수 있습니다. 우선 검사부터 받아보시죠.
Pronunciation: geom-sa bang-beo-beun yeo-reo ga-ji-ga it-neun-de, hwan-ja-bun sang-tae-e mat-neun geom-sa-reul jin-haeng-hal geom-ni-da. won-i-ne tta-ra da-reu-ji-man, yeon-ha jae-hwal chi-ryo-na sik-dan jo-jeol deung-eu-ro ho-jeon-doel su it-seum-ni-da. u-seon geom-sa-bu-teo ba-da-bo-si-jyo.
Meaning: There are several test methods, and we will proceed with the one suitable for your condition. Although it depends on the cause, improvement is possible through swallowing rehabilitation therapy or dietary adjustments. Let’s start with the tests first.
Practice Tips
Mastering medical terms like 연하장애 takes practice! Try using flashcards for the vocabulary and symptom descriptions~ Role-playing conversations with a doctor or nurse can be very helpful too. Pay close attention to the pronunciation, breaking down each syllable as shown (연-하-장-애). Watching Korean medical dramas might expose you to some related terms, but remember that real-life medical communication requires precise language. Don’t hesitate to ask for clarification if you encounter these terms in a real healthcare setting in Korea! Fighting! 화이팅!
