What is Medical Trauma?

Written By Megan Byers, APCC, RN

Before studying mental health counseling, I worked as a registered nurse for seven years. In the medical setting, the goal is to do no harm and bring healing, but it is rarely this simple. Patients discover they cannot control their circumstances and become vulnerable to the limits of their bodies and the medical expertise of others.

Unfortunately, it can be extremely stressful, sometimes to a detrimental degree, to be a patient undergoing medical care. This is particularly true for vulnerable populations including racial and ethnic minorities, those with disabilities and chronic medical conditions, the elderly, those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, and members of the LGBTQIA community, all of whom are at a greater risk of adverse healthcare outcomes.* 

What is medical trauma? 

Trauma is a term used to describe the direct experience or witness of a serious threat to one’s safety or life. Medical trauma can be a useful way to characterize occurrences of trauma related to a medical event such as bodily injuries, illnesses, or treatment, to name a few. Co-occurring feelings of powerlessness and disorientation can contribute to a distressed response to the medical setting. Other less overt examples include interactions with medical providers, spending extended time in the medical setting away from home, relying on other individuals for care management, medications and their side effects, unexpected complications, acute and chronic pain, or the informed consent process. 

Medical trauma is a subcategory of trauma therapy that is sometimes overlooked by society, healthcare professionals, and even the individuals experiencing it. Why? This might be due to a social assumption that medical events and the care in response are normal and expected parts of everyone’s life. But studies show medical trauma can be linked to symptoms of significant psychological distress including anxiety, depression, and PTSD. 

Like all forms of trauma, each individual’s experience is nuanced and can present in various ways depending on multiple biological, psychological, and social factors. For example, two people undergoing the same medical procedure may leave the hospital with completely different impacts on their mental health and well-being. 

Signs and symptoms of a medical trauma: 

It is possible that a medical trauma can cause anxiety, panic attacks, depression, grief, shock or feeling numb, sensitivity to environmental factors such as loud noises or sirens, stress at doctor’s appointments, intrusive thoughts or flashbacks of the event, nightmares, disrupted sleeping and eating routines, gastrointestinal issues, chronic pain, and more. When enough clinical criteria are met, such symptoms can be considered PTSD. See Quincee Gideon’s blog for more

“Secondary crises” may come as a result of medical trauma.** These might include disruptions in intrapersonal, interpersonal, developmental, spiritual, and existential aspects of the survivor’s life. One’s sense of personal identity and purpose may change in response to their traumatic experience. Belief systems may be acquired or called into question. The ability to engage in relationships, work, or daily routine may be altered, all of which have the potential to compound psychological distress. See this article for more.

How are you feeling after reading this? Relieved? Angry? A little less alone, or a little more understood? This blog has been a brief overview of medical trauma. If you are looking for some more guidance or someone who really understands the toll medical trauma takes, we have multiple therapists who can help. If you are a California resident, you can also get professional and specialized support to overcome your PTSD symptoms.

Interested in learning more about our unique approach to trauma therapy?

These blogs talk more about the basics of EMDR:

You can read more about Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy here:

References:

* National Academies Press. (2017). The State of Health Disparities in the United States. Communities in Action - NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK425844/ 

** Waltz, G. R. & Bleuer, J. C. (2013). When treatment becomes trauma: Defining, preventing, and transforming medical trauma. Vistas Online. 73, 1-15. 

https://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/vistas/when-treatment-becomes-trauma-defining-preventing-.pdf

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