02. DOCTOR, NO PANIC! · Emma & Liam's medical survival guide (II)

🧠 Neuro-Spanish for You!Practical Spanish for real life in Andalucía

⭐ XP 0 · 🔥 0

REAL-LIFE SPANISH · EXPAT SURVIVAL

DOCTOR, NO PANIC!

Emma & Liam’s medical survival guide for La Cala de Mijas

From cita to receta: what to do, what to take, what to say — and how to say it.

🧲 FRIDGE RULE
Save this page before you need it.

🆘 LIFE-THREATENING EMERGENCY? Call 112 or 061. For urgent health problems in Málaga when life is not in immediate danger: 951 031 437.

01

What do I do?

Pick the route that describes you.

🏠

I live here + I’m already registered

Book your cita via Salud Andalucía, ClicSalud+, Salud Responde or reception.

📄

I live here + I’m not registered yet

First confirm your public-health entitlement, then register at your local primary-care centre.

🧳

I’m visiting temporarily

Bring ID and a valid GHIC/EHIC if applicable. It is for medically necessary state healthcare during a temporary stay, not planned treatment.

⚡

I need help sooner

If a routine slot is too late and the problem should not wait, contact the centre and ask about atención no demorable.

02

Your local base

Centro de Salud La Cala

📍 Av. Sierra de las Nieves, 4 · 29649 La Cala de Mijas

☎️ Centre: 951 26 73 60

🕗 Official SAS hours: Monday–Friday, 08:00–20:00.

🏥 Reference hospital: Hospital Universitario Costa del Sol, Marbella.

🗺 Open map📞 Call

🚗 Parking: driving is practical, but street parking can become busy — especially in summer. Leave extra time and follow current local/accessibility signage.

03

How to book

cita previa made easy

1. 📱 App Salud AndalucíaOfficial SAS app for common health procedures.
2. 🌐 ClicSalud+Book/manage primary-care appointments online.
3. ☎️ Salud Responde: 955 54 50 6024 hours a day, every day.
4. 🧑‍💼 ReceptionTake your health card or identifying document.

04

Emma & Liam register

The paperwork depends on why you have public healthcare entitlement.

🇬🇧 BRITISH RESIDENTS

Before they walk into the health centre

A NIE/TIE alone is not the same as healthcare entitlement. UK nationals usually access Spanish state healthcare through a valid route such as Spanish social-security contributions, a registered S1, another recognised entitlement, permanent-residence rights, or another legally applicable route.

1

Confirm entitlement. If using an S1, register it with the INSS first.

2

Identity. DNI/NIE/passport as applicable.

3

Residence. The SAS lists a certificado de empadronamiento for resident registration.

4

Proof of healthcare entitlement. Bring the relevant INSS/official document.

5

Register locally. The centre can link you to primary care and your family doctor.

🧳 TEMPORARY VISITOR

GHIC / EHIC is a different route

A valid GHIC/EHIC may be used for medically necessary state healthcare during a temporary stay under the applicable rules. It does not replace resident registration and it is not for travelling to Spain specifically for planned treatment.

🧠 Neurotip: learn complete chunks. Under stress, “Quiero pedir cita…” is easier to retrieve than five separate vocabulary items.

05

First visit: reception

Read it · hear it · reuse it.

👩‍💼

Recepción

Buenos días. ¿En qué puedo ayudarles?

Good morning. How can I help you?

👩

Emma

Buenos días. Queremos darnos de alta en este centro de salud.

Good morning. We’d like to register at this health centre.

👩‍💼

Recepción

Perfecto. ¿Tienen reconocido el derecho a la asistencia sanitaria?

Great. Is your entitlement to public healthcare recognised?

👨

Liam

Sí. Aquí tenemos los documentos del INSS, el NIE y el empadronamiento.

Yes. Here are our INSS documents, NIE and municipal registration.

👩‍💼

Recepción

Muy bien. Vamos a comprobar los datos y asignarles centro y profesional.

Fine. We’ll check the details and assign your centre and professional.

👩

Emma

¿Podemos pedir cita con el médico de familia hoy?

Can we book an appointment with the family doctor today?

06

GP vs specialist

Who does what?

🩺

Médico/a de familia

Your usual first medical contact for common illness, chronic problems, prescriptions, tests and referrals.

🏥

Especialista

Cardiology, dermatology, traumatology, etc. In the public system, specialist care is normally reached through referral when clinically appropriate.

Magic word: derivación.

07

Where might they send you?

Specialist/hospital care

Centro Alta Resolución de Mijas

Avda. de las Margaritas, corner with Paseo del Albero · 29649 Mijas.

Cita/appointment info: 951 97 67 83

🗺 Map

Hospital Universitario Costa del Sol

Carretera Nacional 340, km 187 · 29603 Marbella.

Switchboard: 951 97 66 69

🗺 Map

08

En la consulta del médico

LOOK → LISTEN → REPEAT → SPEAK

🩺 Visual dialogue: if the image does not load on your device, open the infographic here.

🧠 Neurotip: First scan the whole conversation. Then use the interactive dialogue below: listen once, listen while reading Spanish, and finally pause and repeat aloud. Tap the infographic to open the original in Google Drive.

09

At the doctor’s: common illness

Emma has a sore throat, cough and fever.

👨‍⚕️

Médico

Buenos días, Emma. ¿Qué le pasa?

Good morning, Emma. What’s the problem?

👩

Emma

Me duele mucho la garganta, tengo tos y desde anoche tengo fiebre.

My throat really hurts, I have a cough and I’ve had a fever since last night.

👨‍⚕️

Médico

¿Cuánto tiempo lleva así? ¿Tiene dificultad para respirar?

How long have you been like this? Do you have difficulty breathing?

👩

Emma

Desde hace dos días. Respiro bien, pero estoy muy cansada.

For two days. I can breathe normally, but I’m very tired.

👨‍⚕️

Médico

¿Tiene alergia a algún medicamento? ¿Toma alguna medicación habitualmente?

Are you allergic to any medicine? Do you take any medication regularly?

👩

Emma

No tengo alergias conocidas. Tomo esta medicación todos los días.

I have no known allergies. I take this medication every day.

👨‍⚕️

Médico

De acuerdo. Voy a explorarla. Abra la boca y respire profundamente, por favor.

All right. I’m going to examine you. Open your mouth and breathe deeply, please.

👨‍⚕️

Médico

Le explicaré el tratamiento y cuándo debe volver o pedir ayuda urgente.

I’ll explain the treatment and when you should return or seek urgent help.

10

Build your sentence before you enter

Your personal symptom phrase generator.

Problemsore throatcoughfeverheadachechest painstomach paindizziness (male)dizziness (female)vomitingdiarrhoeadifficulty breathing Since when?since this morningsince yesterdayfor two daysfor a weekfor several weeks Extrano known allergiesallergic to penicillin (male)allergic to penicillin (female)daily medicationno regular medication

YOUR READY-TO-USE SPANISH

Me duele la garganta. Desde esta mañana. No tengo alergias conocidas.

11

Medical survival vocabulary

Hover with a mouse or tap a card on your phone. Tap 🔊 for Spanish.

citaappointment

centro de saludhealth centre

médico de familiaGP

enfermero/anurse

especialistaspecialist

derivaciónreferral

recetaprescription

farmaciapharmacy

urgenciasurgent care

analíticablood test

radiografíaX-ray

informe médicomedical report

dolorpain

fiebrefever

toscough

resfriadocold

mareodizziness

náuseasnausea

vómitosvomiting

diarreadiarrhoea

erupciónrash

hinchazónswelling

heridawound

sangreblood

alergiaallergy

medicamentomedicine

pastillapill

jarabesyrup

dosisdose

efectos secundariosside effects

en ayunason an empty stomach

después de comerafter meals

12

12 phrases worth memorising

Tap any phrase to hear it.

13

At the pharmacy

After the consultation

💊 Smart habit: make sure you understand dose, frequency, duration and whether it is taken with food. Ask the pharmacist when in doubt.

14

Nearby pharmacies

Tap for directions. Check today’s opening hours before travelling.

💚 Farmacia La CalaC. Marbella, 1 · 952 49 33 18Open map → 💚 Farmacia ButibambaLa Cala de Mijas · 952 49 21 06Open map → 💚 Farmacia MarenostrumAv. de Mare Nostrum, 10 · 608 36 18 93Open map →

15

Emergency or not?

Learn the right door — and the useful Spanish.

Routine / can wait

Common cold, stable ongoing problem, medication review, test results.

→ Book your family doctor / nurse.

Needs attention sooner

Important symptoms that should not wait for the next routine slot, but no immediate threat to life.

→ Ask about “atención no demorable”.

Possible emergency

Severe breathing difficulty, possible heart attack/stroke, major injury, severe poisoning, loss of consciousness or another life-threatening event.

→ 061 or 112.

16

Medical Spanish Rescue

8 tiny situations · instant feedback · saved progress.

Question 1/8⭐ 0 XP

17

Your fridge card

Print it. Keep it by the door.

🧠 Neuro-Spanish for You!DOCTOR, NO PANIC! · LA CALA DE MIJAS

MY 60-SECOND MEDICAL CHECKLIST

☐ Passport / NIE / TIE / ID☐ Health card / GHIC-EHIC if applicable☐ Medication list + doses☐ Allergies written down☐ Recent reports/tests if relevant☐ Phone charged

112General emergency

061Health emergency

951 031 437Málaga urgent health

955 54 50 60Salud Responde

951 26 73 60Centro de Salud La Cala

Say this: “No me encuentro bien. Necesito ayuda médica. ¿Me puede hablar más despacio, por favor?”

Centro de Salud La Cala: Av. Sierra de las Nieves, 4 · 29649 La Cala de Mijas

18

Three expat details worth knowing

Small information, big difference.

📞 A phone appointment is a real appointment

The SAS uses telephone consultations when a physical visit is not necessary. A clinician can access the electronic record and, where appropriate, prescribe or renew medication.

🗣 Ask about language help

Salud Responde lists a linguistic translation service. If Spanish is blocking safe communication, ask what language support is available for your situation.

📅 “No slots online” is not always “no care”

The SAS reserves parts of clinical agendas for other types of care. If the problem cannot reasonably wait, contact the centre and explain the situation.

🌞 You do not need perfect Spanish. You need usable Spanish.

Keep Neuro-Spanish for You! in your Costa del Sol survival kit.

Real language for the doctor, pharmacy, town hall, chiringuito — and the rest of real life in Andalucía.

Follow the blog →

#ExpatsInSpain #ExpatsMalaga #CostaDelSol #LaCalaDeMijas #Mijas #Andalucia #SaludAndalucia #SpanishForExpats #NeuroSpanishForYou

Information check: contact details were checked against official SAS / Junta de Andalucía and Mijas information available in September 2026. Services and local arrangements can change.

SAS · Centro de Salud La CalaSAS · AppointmentsJunta · Salud RespondeSAS · Resident coverGOV.UK · Healthcare in Spain

Educational language guide, not medical advice. In an emergency, use official emergency services.

🔊 Tap Spanish to hear it · Hover/tap highlighted words for English

At the Doctor in Spain 🩺 Essential Spanish for Expats · A1–A2

🩺 EXPAT SURVIVAL SPANISH · A1–A2

At the Doctor in Spain

You don't feel well. You're sitting in a doctor's consulting room. And suddenly even the Spanish you know seems to disappear.

You don't need sophisticated medical vocabulary.

You need to communicate a few essential things: what hurts, what you feel, when it started, how long you've felt like this and whether you understand the doctor.

That's today's survival mission. 🇪🇸

👀 First, enter the consulting room

Your original infographic gives us the situation. Now we're going to turn that dialogue into Spanish you can retrieve and use.

🎯 Your mission isn't to speak perfect Spanish

By the end of this lesson, try to be able to:

🤒
Say what's wrong

📍
Say what hurts

⏰
Say how long

🗣️
Repair communication

Four abilities are more useful than forty isolated words.

🤒 Step 1 · What's wrong?

No me encuentro bien. I don't feel well.

Me encuentro mal. I feel unwell.

Tengo fiebre. I have a fever.

Tengo tos. I have a cough.

Tengo mareos. I feel dizzy / I have dizziness.

Tengo náuseas. I feel nauseous / I have nausea.

👨‍🏫 Manuel's Tip: TENGO is your emergency building block

You don't need to construct a complicated sentence every time.

TENGO + symptom / problem

tengo fiebre tengo tos tengo frío tengo náuseas tengo mareos tengo dolor

Learn the whole chunks. They are easier to retrieve when you're nervous.

📍 Step 2 · Where does it hurt?

Spanish commonly uses doler.

ME DUELE + singular body part
ME DUELEN + plural body part

Me duele la cabeza. My head hurts / I have a headache.

Me duele la garganta. My throat hurts.

Me duele el estómago. My stomach hurts.

Me duele la espalda. My back hurts.

Me duele el brazo. My arm hurts.

Me duelen las piernas. My legs hurt.

🧍 Point + speak

If you forget everything else, knowing a few body parts can still help.

cabeza — head garganta — throat pecho — chest espalda — back estómago — stomach brazo — arm mano — hand pierna — leg rodilla — knee pie — foot

Combine them with:

Me duele...

⏰ Step 3 · Since when?

The doctor will often need to know when the problem began or how long it has lasted.

Desde ayer. Since yesterday.

Desde esta mañana. Since this morning.

Desde hace dos días. For two days.

Empezó anoche. It started last night.

👩‍⚕️ What might the doctor ask?

Understanding the question is half the conversation.

¿Qué le pasa? What's wrong?

¿Desde cuándo? Since when?

¿Dónde le duele? Where does it hurt?

¿Tiene fiebre? Do you have a fever?

¿Toma algún medicamento? Are you taking any medication?

¿Tiene alguna alergia? Do you have any allergies?

🛟 Step 4 · The most important skill: repair the conversation

You do not need to pretend you understand.

No entiendo. I don't understand.

¿Puede repetirlo, por favor? Can you repeat that, please?

¿Puede hablar más despacio? Can you speak more slowly?

¿Qué significa...? What does ... mean?

In a medical conversation, asking for clarification is a communication skill, not a failure.

🎭 Now put the pieces together

DOCTOR:
Buenos días. ¿Qué le pasa?

PATIENT:
No me encuentro bien. Tengo fiebre y tos.

DOCTOR:
¿Desde cuándo?

PATIENT:
Desde ayer. También me duele la garganta.

DOCTOR:
¿Toma algún medicamento?

PATIENT:
Perdone. ¿Puede repetirlo más despacio?

DOCTOR:
Sí, claro. ¿Toma algún medicamento?

PATIENT:
Sí. Tomo este medicamento.

👨‍🏫 Manuel's 4-line emergency strategy

If your mind goes blank, build your explanation with four short pieces.

1️⃣ Tengo...
2️⃣ Me duele...
3️⃣ Desde...
4️⃣ También...

For example:

Tengo fiebre.
Me duele la garganta.
Desde ayer.
También tengo tos.

Short, clear sentences can be much more useful than attempting one complicated sentence under pressure.

🧠 NeuroTip: practise the pattern, change the symptom

Say this aloud:

Tengo + ________.

Now substitute:

fiebre tos mareos náuseas

Then:

Me duele + ________.

la cabeza la garganta la espalda el estómago

The structure stays stable while one element changes. That reduces the amount you need to retrieve.

🎮 Consulting Room Challenge

1. You have a fever.

2. Your head hurts.

3. The problem started yesterday.

4. You didn't understand the doctor.

5. Both legs hurt.

🩺 XP: 0   ·   🔥 Streak: 0

🎙️ Your 30-second doctor mission

Without looking back, imagine the doctor asks:

¿Qué le pasa?

Give a short answer containing:

🤒 one symptom

📍 one pain

⏰ when it started

🗣️ one repair phrase

For example:

Tengo tos.
Me duele la garganta.
Desde esta mañana.
¿Puede hablar más despacio, por favor?

🏆 CONSULTING ROOM SURVIVED

⚕️ Language lesson, not medical advice

This lesson teaches Spanish expressions that may help you communicate with healthcare professionals.

It does not diagnose symptoms, recommend medication or replace professional medical care.

For urgent or serious health concerns, seek appropriate professional or emergency assistance rather than relying on a language-learning resource.

🗺️ Expat Survival Spain

This lesson belongs to the practical side of Neuro-Spanish for You!: Spanish for situations in which communication really matters.

💊
PHARMACY

🩺
DOCTOR

🏨
HOTEL

🛒
SUPERMARKET

Connect these cards to the existing public lessons when their final URLs are available. Do not create new posts merely to complete the series.

❤️ Learn the Spanish you can actually use

Follow Neuro-Spanish for You! for practical Spanish, audio, visual learning and interactive practice.

🩺 Explain · 🔊 Listen · 🧠 Retrieve · 🇪🇸 Communicate

👨‍🏫 Created & taught by Manuel Molina

Neuro-Spanish for You!

Practical Spanish through context, visual learning, retrieval and real communication.

A1–A2 · Spanish at the Doctor · Expat Survival Spanish