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Anesthesia Coding Alert

READER QUESTIONS:

General Code May Be Only Option for Central Pain Syndrome Diagnosis

Published on Mon Apr 17, 2006

Question: What diagnosis applies to central pain syndrome?


Arkansas Subscriber
 

Answer: Ideally, you want to identify the diagnosis that is causing the patient's pain (such as 724.02, Spinal stenosis, other than cervical; lumbar region). If you don't have a site of pain or a disease process to base your claim on, your best diagnosis is 780.99 (Other general symptoms).

Central pain syndrome is a neurological condition caused by damage to or dysfunction of the central nervous system. The syndrome has many causes, including stroke, multiple sclerosis, tumors, epilepsy, brain or spinal cord trauma, or Parkinson's disease.

The extent of the patient's pain is usually related to the cause of injury or damage, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Pain medications often help reduce the patient's pain but do not completely relieve it. Answers to You Be the Coder and Reader Questions were provided by Margaret Lamb, RHIT, CPC, a coding consultant for Care Communications in Chicago.
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