Read about five common conditions that chiropractors treat along with their ICD-10 codes.

1. Five Common Conditions
Chiropractors
Treat & Their ICD-10 Codes
Read about five common conditions that chiropractors
treat along with their ICD-10 codes.
Outsource Strategies International
United States

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Chiropractors who diagnose and treat different disorders that cause
musculoskeletal or nerve pain need to document various procedures such as
spinal manipulation or other manual therapies. Billing and coding different
disorders of the musculoskeletal and nervous system can be challenging.
Physician practices need to use the correct ICD-10 codes to report these
disorders. Relying on the services of an established chiropractic medical
coding company can help in accurate and timely claim submission, as well
as in ensuring timely patient care and appropriate reimbursement.
Let us have a look at five common conditions that chiropractors treat along
with their related ICD-10 codes –
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) – Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) refers to
the painful condition caused by pressure on the median nerve in the wrist.
The median nerve passes through the carpal tunnel - a narrow passageway
in the wrist and goes into the hand. The median nerve also controls the
muscles at the base of the thumb. The abnormal pressure on the nerve can
result in pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness in the hand. In most cases,
this pressure develops when the tissues around the median nerve of the
hand swell and press on the nerve. If left untreated, the condition can lead
to weakness and lack of coordination in the fingers and thumb. ICD-10
codes to report a CTS diagnosis include –
 G56.0 - Carpal tunnel syndrome
 G56.00 - Carpal tunnel syndrome, unspecified upper limb
 G56.01 - Carpal tunnel syndrome, right upper limb
 G56.02 - Carpal tunnel syndrome, left upper limb
 G56.03 - Carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral upper limbs
Migraine Headaches – This is a type of headache that occurs due to
specific changes within the brain. The condition causes severe head pain that
is often accompanied by sensitivity to light, sound, smell or physical
movement. The pain often described as throbbing or pulsing usually begins
on one side of the head and typically last from 4 hours up to 3 days.
According to reports from the National Headache Foundation about 47
percent of adults in the United States experience some form of migraine and
headaches each year and it affects three times as many women as men.
Medications can help prevent some headaches and make them less painful.
However, the correct combination of medicines along with self-help remedies
and lifestyle changes may help prevent the occurrence of pain. ICD-10 codes
for migraine headaches include –

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 G43 – Migraine
 G43.0 – Migraine without aura
 G43.1 – Migraine with aura
 G43.4 – Hemiplegic migraine
 G43.5 – Persistent migraine aura without cerebral infarction
 G43.6 – Persistent migraine aura with cerebral infarction
 G43.7 – Chronic migraine without aura
 G43.A – Cyclical vomiting
 G43.B – Ophthalmoplegic migraine
 G43.C – Periodic headache syndromes in child or adult
 G43.D – Abdominal migraine
 G43.8 – Other migraine
 G43.9 – Migraine, unspecified
Tennis Elbow – Also called Lateral Epicondylitis, Tennis Elbow occurs when
the tendons (that join the muscles of the forearm to the outside of the
elbow) in the elbow are overloaded, usually by repetitive motions of the
wrist and arm. The repeated movements may result in a series of tiny tears
in the tendons that attach the forearm muscles to the bony prominence at
the outside of the elbow. The condition causes pain and inflammation around
the outside of the elbow. Common symptoms include - wrist weakness,
chronic pain when lifting or bending the arm, difficulty in extending the
forearm fully, pain and stiffness when fully extending the arm, pain when
lifting and carrying, and tenderness outside the elbow. As the name
suggests, playing tennis sport is one of the prominent causes of this
condition. However, many other common arm motions such as using
plumbing tools, driving screws, repetitive use of computer mouse, playing
some types of musical instruments and painting can cause tennis elbow. For
majority of patients, tennis elbow is treated non-surgically to relieve pain
and weakness associated with the condition. Related ICD-10 codes include –
 M77.1 – Lateral epicondylitis
 M77.10 – Lateral epicondylitis, unspecified elbow
 M77.11 – Lateral epicondylitis, right elbow
 M77.12 – Lateral epicondylitis, left elbow
Whiplash Injury – Also called neck sprain or neck strain, Whiplash injury
refers to an injury that occurs when the soft tissues in the neck become
stretched and damaged (sprained). The injury occurs due to forceful, rapid
back-and-forth movement of the neck. In most cases, the condition is
caused by a rear-end collision. The sudden impact causes speedy movement

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of the structures within the neck and changes the normal curve of the upper
back and neck. The primary symptom of whiplash is neck or upper back
pain. Signs and symptoms usually develop within 24 hours of the injury.
Other related symptoms include - loss of range of motion in the neck,
fatigue and dizziness, worsening pain with high neck movement, headache
and tightness or spasms of the muscles in the neck and upper back area.
Treatment modalities include chiropractic care, physical therapy, epidural
steroid injections and medications. Treatment options may vary from person
to person and depend on the type and severity of injury. ICD-10 codes for
this type of neck injury include –
 S13.4 - Sprain of ligaments of cervical spine
 S13.4XXA - Sprain of ligaments of cervical spine, initial encounter
 S13.4XXD - Sprain of ligaments of cervical spine, subsequent
encounter
 S13.4XXS - Sprain of ligaments of cervical spine, sequela
Osteoarthritis – Regarded as one of the most common, chronic joint
conditions, osteoarthritis (OA) causes pain, swelling, stiffness and difficulty
moving the joint. Also called degenerative joint disease (wear and tear
arthritis), the condition occurs when the protective cartilage at the end of
your joint breaks down and causes the bones to rub against each other. The
condition primarily affects the knees, and can also affect the fingers,
thumbs, spine and hips. Even though this condition can occur in adults of
any age, it is most often seen in older adults. In fact, the likelihood of
developing OA symptoms increases between the ages of 55 and 64. Joint
pain is one of the primary symptoms of this degenerative joint disease.
Treatment modalities for this condition include therapeutic techniques
combined with medications. ICD-10 codes used to diagnose OA include –
 M19 - Other and unspecified osteoarthritis
 M19.0 - Primary osteoarthritis of other joints
 M19.02 - Primary osteoarthritis, elbow
 M19.03 - Primary osteoarthritis, wrist
 M19.04 - Primary osteoarthritis, hand
 M19.1 - Post-traumatic osteoarthritis of other joints
 M19.11 - Post-traumatic osteoarthritis, shoulder
 M19.12 - Post-traumatic osteoarthritis, elbow
 M19.13 - Post-traumatic osteoarthritis, wrist
 M19.14 - Post-traumatic osteoarthritis, hand
 M19.17 - Post-traumatic osteoarthritis, ankle and foot

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 M19.2 - Secondary osteoarthritis of other joints
 M19.21 - Secondary osteoarthritis, shoulder
 M19.22 - Secondary osteoarthritis, elbow
 M19.23 - Secondary osteoarthritis, wrist
 M19.24 - Secondary osteoarthritis, hand
 M19.27 - Secondary osteoarthritis, ankle and foot
 M19.9 - Osteoarthritis, unspecified site
Chiropractors must have a thorough knowledge of the highly specific ICD-10
codes for the above discussed conditions. The support of an experienced
medical billing and coding company can be very valuable when it comes
to ensuring timely and accurate claims submission.