chicken pox

Question

I'm a nurse and some of my patients use a different word for chicken pox. It's varicela in the dictionary, but that's not what they say. They are mostly from Mexico if that helps. Anyone know the word I'm looking for'

Answer 1

You only have to worry if it starts making you itch!

Answer 2

Hey, I already suggested picazón!

Answer 3

Yes, I knew that culebrilla was shingles, but I was just suggesting that your patients might have been using that word in the context of discussing chicken pox and/or its symptoms, or out of confusion between the two diseases. You didn't tell us the exact context in which you have heard the word used, so I was casting a wide net.

I don't know your word, but picazón is a general word that means itching, so again, your patients might be using such a general word to refer to a specific disease or its symptoms.

Sorry I can't be of more help. I guess you could always just ask the next patient who uses the word.

BTW, I think it's great that you have made the effort to learn Spanish to better help your patients. Bravo!

Answer 4

Thanks, but that would be shingles. I'm pretty sure it's pica something, but it's driving me crazy....and it would be extremely helpful to know so I can use it at work.

Answer 5

I wonder if it's culebrilla, which isn't actually chicken pox, but might be referred to in the same context.

La culebrilla es una infección causada por el mismo virus que causa la varicela. Este virus se llama varicela zoster. No puede tener culebrilla a menos que haya tenido una infección previa con varicela (normalmente cuando era niño).

Just a guess...