Icketraumatisk

Icketraumatisk (often written icke-traumatisk) is a medical term used to describe injuries, conditions, or symptoms that occur without an identifiable external physical trauma. The term denotes that the underlying cause is non-traumatic.

Etymology and form: The term is built from the prefix icke- meaning not, and traumatisk meaning traumatic. In Swedish, it is most commonly written with a hyphen as icke-traumatisk, but compounding without a space (icketraumatisk) also appears in some texts. Spelling and hyphenation can vary by style guide and publication.

Contexts and examples: Icketraumatisk is used across medical specialties to separate non-traumatic etiologies from traumatic ones in clinical descriptions, research protocols, and patient records. Examples include non-traumatic brain injury (such as stroke), spontaneous fractures, osteonecrosis, and inflammatory or degenerative musculoskeletal conditions that are not caused by a single external impact. In cardiology, terms like non-traumatic chest pain may occur, reflecting etiologies other than physical injury.

Significance and limitations: The label is descriptive rather than diagnostic; it helps guide diagnostic work-up and management by highlighting non-traumatic mechanisms. Its interpretation depends on patient history and available clinical information. The usage and preferred terminology can vary by country, discipline, and guideline, so it should be considered in the appropriate clinical context to avoid ambiguity.

See also: trauma, traumatic injury, non-traumatic disease, non-traumatic brain injury.