# Debility & Muscle Weakness



## LisaAlonso23 (Aug 12, 2013)

Can someone please clarify:

If muscle weakness is a symptom of debility, isn't it incorrect to list debility and muscle weakness as diagnoses for the same patient or is there more to it?

Thank you in advance.


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## mitchellde (Aug 12, 2013)

if muscle weakness is all that is documented then that is all you can code.  What ICD-9 are you looking to use?


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## LisaAlonso23 (Aug 12, 2013)

Thank you. I'm auditing claims that the clinicians code themselves. They use both codes together. It just doesn't look right to me. I thought I'd ask to be sure. 

I just found my answer:

Debility- all over weakness as in lack of strength

Muscle weakness- lack of strength or weakness in a specific area of the body (leg, arm, etc.)

Therefore, they should not be coded together. 

For example, my document states that the lower extremities are notably weak constituting a Muscle Weakness code. However, my clinicians are listing Debility (that isn't documented) as the primary along with Muscle Weakness (that is documented).


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