# Acute exacerbation of chronic knee pain



## JulesofColorado (Jul 2, 2009)

Does the dx of acute exacerbation of chronic knee pain mean to code knee pain and acute and chronic pain?


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## dpeoples (Jul 2, 2009)

JulesofColorado said:


> Does the dx of acute exacerbation of chronic knee pain mean to code knee pain and acute and chronic pain?



Just knee pain I think. The accute and chronic pain in the 338.__ range is ment for nervous system. Knee pain should not be coded as a nervous system symptom unless specified as such. IMO

I hope this helps.


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## mitchellde (Jul 2, 2009)

The 338 codes are in the chapter for diseases of the nervous system and sensory organs.  If you "feel" pain then that is a sensory organ.  The guidelines for reporting has an entire section for pain acute and chronic and they state to code these codes as first listed along with the site specific code as long as the visit is for pain control.  Otherwise they ae secondary.  In addition the guidelines state that when documentation specifies both acute and chronic and codes exist for both then we code both.


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## JulesofColorado (Jul 2, 2009)

Ok, thanks.


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