头痛在哪里？
Tóutòng zài nǎlǐ?
Where is the headache?
Doctor question
Neurology symptoms
Headache in Mandarin — clinical phrases for patient assessment
Headache (头痛, tóutòng) is a common but clinically important presentation. This guide provides structured Mandarin phrases for headache history taking, including onset, character, severity, and red flag identification.
Red flags
Thunderclap headache — 雷击样头痛 (subarachnoid haemorrhage); Headache with fever and neck stiffness — 头痛伴发热和颈项强直 (meningitis); New neurological deficit — 新发神经功能缺损; Headache waking from sleep — 从睡眠中痛醒
High-yield phrases
头痛是突然发生的吗？
Tóutòng shì tūrán fāshēng de ma?
Did it come on suddenly?
Doctor question
头痛的严重程度是几分？1到10分
Tóutòng de yánzhòng chéngdù shì jǐ fēn? Yī dào shí fēn
How severe is the headache on a scale of 1 to 10?
Doctor question
您有恶心或呕吐吗？
Nín yǒu ěxīn huò ǒutù ma?
Do you have nausea or vomiting?
Doctor question
您有颈部僵硬吗？
Nín yǒu jǐngbù jiāngyìng ma?
Do you have neck stiffness?
Doctor question
您对光敏感吗？
Nín duì guāng mǐngǎn ma?
Are you sensitive to light?
Doctor question
我头痛得很厉害
Wǒ tóu tòng de hěn lìhài
I have a very severe headache
Patient phrase
这是我一生中最严重的头痛
Zhè shì wǒ yīshēng zhōng zuì yánzhòng de tóutòng
This is the worst headache of my life
Patient phrase
我怕光，也怕声音
Wǒ pà guāng, yě pà shēngyīn
I am sensitive to light and sound
Patient phrase
Example clinical dialogue
doctor
头痛在哪里？
Tóutòng zài nǎlǐ?
Where is the headache?
patient
我头痛得很厉害
Wǒ tóu tòng de hěn lìhài
I have a very severe headache
doctor
头痛是突然发生的吗？
Tóutòng shì tūrán fāshēng de ma?
Did it come on suddenly?
patient
这是我一生中最严重的头痛
Zhè shì wǒ yīshēng zhōng zuì yánzhòng de tóutòng
This is the worst headache of my life
doctor
头痛的严重程度是几分？1到10分
Tóutòng de yánzhòng chéngdù shì jǐ fēn? Yī dào shí fēn
How severe is the headache on a scale of 1 to 10?
patient
我怕光，也怕声音
Wǒ pà guāng, yě pà shēngyīn
I am sensitive to light and sound
Common mistakes
- Asking closed yes/no questions before establishing an open history of the symptom.
FAQ
How do I ask about headache in Mandarin?
Headache (头痛, tóutòng) is a common but clinically important presentation. This guide provides structured Mandarin phrases for headache history taking, including onset, character, severity, and red flag identification.