Common symptoms

❃ Common symptoms

ຂ້ອຍເປັນຫວັດ [ khoi pen vat ]: I have a cold.
ຂ້ອຍໄອ [ khoi ai ]: I have a cough.
ຂ້ອຍເຈັບຄໍ [ khoi chep kho ]: I have a sore throat.
ຂ້ອຍມີນໍ້າມູກ [ khoi mi nam muk ]: I have a runny nose.
ຂ້ອຍຈາມ [ khoi cham ]: I am sneezing.
ດັງຕັນ [ dang tan ]: My nose is stuffed.
ຂ້ອຍວິນຫົວ [ khoi vin hua ]: I feel dizzy.
ຂ້ອຍເຈັບຫົວ [ khoi chep hua ]: I have a headache.
ຂ້ອຍຮູ້ສຶກໜາວສັ່ນ [ khoi hu suk nao san ]: I have chills.
ຂ້ອຍຮ້ອນຫຼາຍ [ khoi hon lai ]: I feel very hot.
ມີບາຫຼອດແທກໄຂ້ບໍ່? [ mi balot thaek khai bo? ]: Do you have a thermometer?
ໄຂ້ສູງ [ khai sung ]: High fever.
ຂ້ອຍຫາຍໃຈຍາກ [ khoi hai chai nyak ]: I have difficulty breathing.
ມັນແໜ້ນໜ້າເອິກ [ man naen na oek ]: My chest feels tight.
ອາການເລີ່ມແຕ່ມື້ວານນີ້ [ akan loem tae mu van ni ]: The symptoms started yesterday.
ຂ້ອຍມີເຫື່ອອອກຫຼາຍ [ khoi mi hua ok lai ]: I am sweating a lot.
ຂ້ອຍປວດຕາມໂຕ [ khoi puat tam to ]: My body aches.
ສຽງຂ້ອຍແຫບ [ siang khoi haep ]: My voice is hoarse.
ມີສະເຫຼດ [ mi salet ]: I have phlegm.
ບໍ່ໄດ້ກິ່ນຫຍັງເລີຍ [ bo dai kin nyang loei ]: I have lost my sense of smell.

Cultural notes

When traveling in Laos, navigating the shift in climate, air conditioning, and dust can sometimes lead to minor illnesses. If you catch a bug, knowing how to describe your symptoms accurately at a local pharmacy or clinic is essential. The Lao language builds symptom descriptions very logically. If you have caught a chill from a heavily air-conditioned night bus, you might say ຂ້ອຍເປັນຫວັດ (khoi pen vat - I have a cold). If the dusty roads have irritated your throat, you can explain ຂ້ອຍໄອ (khoi ai - I have a cough) or ຂ້ອຍເຈັບຄໍ (khoi chep kho - I have a sore throat). However, the most critical symptom to monitor in a tropical country is a fever. While a mild temperature might just be exhaustion, a high fever (ໄຂ້ສູງ - khai sung) should never be ignored, as it could be a sign of tropical diseases like Dengue or Malaria. If you feel exceptionally hot or have chills, immediately state ຂ້ອຍເປັນໄຂ້ (khoi pen khai - I have a fever). Local pharmacists are highly experienced with these regional ailments. If you want to check your temperature, ask them ມີບາຫຼອດແທກໄຂ້ບໍ່? (mi balot thaek khai bo? - do you have a thermometer?). Other common ailments include feeling dizzy from the winding mountain roads or the intense sun, for which you say ຂ້ອຍວິນຫົວ (khoi vin hua - I feel dizzy), or dealing with a pounding headache by stating ຂ້ອຍເຈັບຫົວ (khoi chep hua - I have a headache). Don't try to "tough it out" like you might back home. Lao culture prioritizes rest and recovery. Buying some local medicine, staying hydrated, and resting in a cool place will usually have you back on your feet quickly, ready to continue your Southeast Asian adventure.

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