Diagnosis Code M54.9: Comprehensive Information on ICD-10 for Dorsalgia
Billable/ Specific Code:
M54.9 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes.
ICD-10 code M54.9, also known as M54.9 diagnosis code, refers to “Dorsalgia, Unspecified.” This code is used to classify cases where a patient experiences back pain without a specific diagnosis. The M54.9 code falls under the broader category of dorsalgia, which encompasses various types of back pain. Understanding the details of the M54.9 diagnosis code helps healthcare professionals accurately document and manage cases of non-specific back pain. For comprehensive information about M54.9, including its application and relevance in clinical settings, Nexus Clinical provides expert insights and resources.
Applicable To:
- Backache NOS
- Back pain NOS
Approximate Synonyms:
- Back pain
- Back pain for less than 3 months
- Back pain less than 3 months
- Back pain without radiculopathy
- Backache
- Backache for less than 3 months
- Backache without radiculopathy
- Chronic back pain for greater than 3 months
- Chronic back pain greater than 3 months
- Chronic back pain greater than 3 months duration
- Chronic back pain greater than three months duration
- Dorsalgia
- Dorsalgia (upper back pain)
- Pain in spine
- Spine pain
- Thoracic back pain
- Upper back pain
- Vertebral joint pain
Clinical Information
- A disorder characterized by marked discomfort sensation in the back region.
- Acute or chronic pain located in the posterior regions of the thorax, lumbosacral region, or the adjacent regions.
- Acute or chronic pain located in the posterior regions of the thorax; lumbosacral region; or the adjacent regions.
- If you’ve ever groaned, “oh, my aching back!”, you are not alone. Back pain is one of the most common medical problems, affecting 8 out of 10 people at some point during their lives. Back pain can range from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp pain. Acute back pain comes on suddenly and usually lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Back pain is called chronic if it lasts for more than three months.most back pain goes away on its own, though it may take awhile. Taking over-the-counter pain relievers and resting can help. However, staying in bed for more than 1 or 2 days can make it worse. If your back pain is severe or doesn’t improve after three days, you should call your health care provider. You should also get medical attention if you have back pain following an injury.treatment for back pain depends on what kind of pain you have, and what is causing it. It may include hot or cold packs, exercise, medicines, injections, complementary and alternative treatments, and sometimes surgery. nih: national institute of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases
- Painful sensation in the back region.
- Sensation of unpleasant feeling indicating potential or actual damage to some body structure felt in the back.
ICD-10: A Brief Synopsis
For disease reporting, the US utilizes its own national variant of ICD-10 called the ICD-10 Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM). A procedural classification called ICD-10 Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-PCS) has also been developed for capturing inpatient procedures. The ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS were developed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). There are over 70,000 ICD-10-PCS procedure codes and over 69,000 ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes, compared to about 3,800 procedure codes and roughly 14,000 diagnosis codes found in the previous ICD-9-CM.
The expansion of healthcare delivery systems and changes in global health trends prompted a need for codes with improved clinical accuracy and specificity. The alphanumeric coding in ICD-10 is an improvement from ICD-9 which had a limited number of codes and a restrictive structure. Early concerns in the implementation of ICD-10 included the cost and the availability of resources for training healthcare workers and professional coders.
There was much controversy when the transition from the ICD-9-CM to the ICD-10-CM was first announced in the US. Many providers were concerned about the vast number of codes being added, the complexity of the new coding system, and the costs associated with the transition. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) weighed these concerns against the benefits of having more accurate data collection, clearer documentation of diagnoses and procedures, and more accurate claims processing. CMS decided the financial and public health cost associated with continuing to use the ICD-9-CM was too high and mandated the switch to ICD-10-CM.
