What does idiopathic mean?

"Idiopathic" means having an unknown cause. It is often used in medicine to describe a disease or condition where the underlying cause is unknown.

Example:

* Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disease where the cause of the scarring in the lungs is unknown.

Other examples:

* Idiopathic epilepsy

* Idiopathic scoliosis

* Idiopathic hypersomnia

In essence, "idiopathic" is a placeholder term used when doctors can't pinpoint the specific reason for a particular illness or condition.