Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

Site of needle insertion is your key to select the right code.When your neurologist treats occipital neuralgia, you'll need to identify which nerve was treated and the insertion site. Read on to learn how to identify the correct nerve injected and to code it appropriately. Strengthen Your Occipital Anatomy Basics You will come across three distinct sets of occipital nerves in the body, so you'll need to know which one in specific your physician is treating. To get to the right code, you should know the origin of the nerves, the structures these nerves supply and their distribution, and the common complaints due to involvement of these nerves in any pathology. Identify nerve pathology: One common condition stemming from the involvement of the GON that you will often need to report is the occipital neuralgia. You report ICD-9 code 723.8 (Other syndromes affecting cervical region) for occipital neuralgia. Note: When [...]