Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

Question: What diagnosis applies to an occipital headache? Should I code for just a regular headache? Texas Subscriber Answer: As always, only code to your physician's documentation. If he meant "occipital neuralgia," which is symptomatic with pain at the back of the head, you could use 723.8 (Other syndromes affecting cervical region). If your physician simply documented "occipital headache," report 784.0 (Headache). -- Clinical and coding expertise for You Be the Coder and Reader Questions provided by Neil Busis, MD, chief of the division of neurology and director of the neurodiagnostic laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center at Shadyside, and clinical associate professor in the department of neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; and Laureen Jandroep, OTR, CPC, CCS-P, CPC-H, CCS, CodeRyte Inc. coding analyst and coding review teacher.