ICD 10 Code For Lower Back Pain

ICD 10 Code For Lower Back Pain

The ICD 10 Code for lower back pain is one of the most common searches by health practitioners. The code is necessary for diagnosis and treatment and was instituted on October 1, 2018. The ICD 10 Code for lower back pain is M54.5.

You should note that this code is the American version and there are other international versions. It is necessary you have this information to avoid being confused in the future. It is likely that the ICD 10 code for lower back pain will be revised with time when it is, we will be the first to let you know.

ICD 10 Code For Lower Back Pain

Let’s discuss a little bit about lower back pain.

What is Lower Back Pain?

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) regard lower back pain as one of the major reasons why people experience workplace disability. Generally, lower back pain is the top reason why people visit the doctor. Statistics show that at least 80% of American citizens are likely to experience back pain before they die.

 

There are several causes of this condition such as sudden back movements, carrying of heavy load, sprains or strains in the back muscles, and poor posture. A few diseases like spinal cord cancer, herniated discs, arthritis, sciatica, etc. could also result in back pain.

Lower back pain could be acute or chronic. It is acute when it lasts for just a few days or weeks while it is regarded as chronic when it lasts beyond three months. People between the ages of 30 and 50 are more at risk of this condition.

Causes of Lower Back Pain

The most common causes of lower back pain include:

  1. Strains. Due to excessive strenuous activity, there is a chance that the muscles and ligaments in the back could be overstretched. When this occurs you are bound to experience any of these symptoms, muscle spasms, stiffness in the lower back, and excruciating pain. The best remedies for this are physical remedies and regular rest.
  2. Disc injury. As you advance in age, the discs in your back are more at risk of damage and injury. This could lead to tearing or herniating of the disc. A disc herniates when the cartilage that surrounds the disc presses against the nerve roots or spinal cord. You could experience this when you lift something heavy or you twist your back from sudden movements. This pain is known to last for about 72 hours, unlike back strains.
  3. Sciatica. When a herniated disc pushes against a sciatic nerve, sciatica occurs. The sciatic nerve creates a connection between the spine and the legs. This is why this condition could result in sharp pain to the legs which seem like burning needles or pins.
  4. Spinal stenosis. This occurs when the spinal cord along with the nerves are put under pressure from the narrowing of the spinal column. Degeneration of the vertebral discs is a major cause of this condition. The pressure could result in numbness, weakness, and cramping.
  5. Abnormal curvature of the spine. Several conditions could result in abnormal spine curvatures like scoliosis and lordosis. These conditions develop in patients at an early age and they place pressure on the ligaments, muscles, and tendons in the back to cause serious pain.

There are other conditions that could result in lower back pain, they are:

  1. Arthritis
  2. Spondylitis
  3. Fibromyalgia
  4. Spondylosis
  5. Pregnancy
  6. Kidney problems
  7. Uterine fibroids

Diagnosing Lower Back Pain

It is important that when you begin experiencing symptoms of lower back pain you visit a physician, especially when it does not subside after a few days. The first step to diagnosis is a physical evaluation by the doctor to find out the degree of the pain. This will also help the doctor know how much the pain has hampered your movement.

You might be required to go for more testing if the pain does not subside after a few weeks. Normally, resting the back and a little physical therapy is enough to ease the pain. If you are exhibiting symptoms like fever, loss of bowel control, weight loss, and weakness, then you definitely need to be tested. Some of the likely tests include X-Rays, ultrasound, CT Scans, and MRI Scans.

Treating Lower Back Pain

Several measures can be employed with respect to treating lower back pain. They include:

Home treatment

Within the first 72 hours of noticing the pain, it can be treated at home using a couple of self-care methods. It is advised to follow the RICE protocol. RICE means Rest, Ice, Compression, and Evaluation. You will also need to take some painkillers like ibuprofen to reduce the pain. You could also try lying on your side and getting a message.

Medical treatment

It has already been mentioned above that lower back pain could arise from several causes, some of which are medical in nature. Your doctor will check for the causes and prescribe the necessary treatments. Some drugs that could be prescribed include narcotics like codeine, steroids to help with the inflammation, muscle relaxants, etc.

Surgery

Surgery will be prescribed if the back pain is severe and other treatment methods have failed. Some of the procedures include spinal fusion, radiofrequency ablation, nucleoplasty, and foraminotomy.

Preventing Lower Back Pain

It is possible to stay away from lower back pain as much as possible. To do this you need to practice several techniques like:

  1. Regular exercise of the back muscles.
  2. Loss of weight, that is in cases of overweight.
  3. Proper posture for lifting objects, sitting, and movement.
  4. Sleeping on a firm surface.

ICD 10 Code For Lower Back Pain – Roundup

You must have been enlightened about the ICD 10 Code for lower back pain with this post. But more than that, you must have learned about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of the condition. The condition becomes more probable as you advance in age so you should take preventive measures to avoid it.

 

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