# Lower extremity weakness



## mhoyt (Feb 9, 2012)

ANY IDEAS?

No code for this...so what does everyone else use?

thx

Marlo


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## jmcpolin (Feb 9, 2012)

780.79 or 728.87  I myself prefer 780.79


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## mhoyt (Feb 9, 2012)

780.79 sounds like a plan...thank you thank you and much thanks.


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## mjb5019 (Feb 9, 2012)

*extremity weakness*

That is so funny you mention this, as that is what we batted around at our coders meeting this Am. It doesn't specify  MUSCLE weakness so you default to generalized 780.79.


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## mhoyt (Feb 9, 2012)

Yep I used the 780.79... Funny, how the ones that seem simple enough can cause more trouble..LOL.


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## lodawnyoung (Apr 4, 2013)

I have always used the 728.87, but after reading this post I looked at 780.79 on my coding software and this is the definition it gives for the code;

DEF: Asthenia: Any weakness, lack of strength or loss of energy, especially neuromuscular.~DEF: Lethargy: Listlessness, drowsiness, stupor and apathy.~DEF: Malaise: Vague feeling of debility or lack of good health.~DEF: Postviral (asthenic) syndrome: Listlessness, drowsiness, stupor and apathy; follows acute viral infection.~DEF: Tiredness: General exhaustion or fatigue.

So I think I will be using this code from now on. Thanks.


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## camilleb (Aug 28, 2015)

I know this post is really old, but I wanted to weigh in also.  
My specialty is Neurosurgery.  My docs and nurses will perform strength testing Musculoskeletal examinations in the office where they check the muscle strength in upper and lower extremities, like a deltoid exam. In reporting upper and lower extremity weakness, we use 728.87.
We sometimes use 780.79 for general weakness in some of our elderly patients who report that they're having some weakness, but a Musculo exam is not performed due to the patient is being hospitalized and lying in a bed, or in a wheelchair- and we may not have the ability to perform the strength testing at that time.
Dependant upon documentation, we choose the code that best fits.   I noticed that ICD-10-CM also does not report it much differently than ICD-9.  _food for thought...._
Have a blessed day!


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## swebb4850@gmail.com (Sep 28, 2015)

Per Coding Clinic, 4th Quarter, 1988, page 12..."Weakness of the limbs without mention of muscle weakness, is assigned to 729.89, other musculoskeletal symptoms referable to limbs."


Shari RN, CPC-A


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