Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

Not being up to speed on different types can cost you denied claims.

When you're coding for diabetic neuropathy treatment, you should understand the type of pain the patient is experiencing. Neuropathic pain can have up to three different components:

• Ongoing pain that is continually present regardless of what the patient does or does not do;
• Spontaneous pain episodes that suddenly appear without any identifiable stimulus;
• Hyperalgesia, in which the patient has pain from an external stimulus that normally causes little or no pain (such as heat or cold).

In addition to being categorized by the type of pain experienced, the affected body area also helps classify diabetic neuropathy. These include:

• Peripheral neuropathy, which causes pain or loss of feeling in the toes, feet, legs, hands and arms. Peripheral neuropathy is extremely common.
• Autonomic neuropathy, which causes changes in digestion, bowel and bladder function, sexual response, and perspiration. It can also affect the nerves that serve the heart and control blood pressure.
• Proximal neuropathy, which causes pain in the thighs, hips, or buttocks and leads to weakness in the legs. Some people call this polyneuropathy because it involves two or more extremities.
• Focal neuropathy, which leads to sudden weakness of one nerve or group of nerves and causes muscle weakness or pain. Focal neuropathy can affect any nerve in the body.