ICD-10 codes for back pain
Since the 2022 ICD-10-CM update, the classic M54.5 "low back pain" is no longer billable in the US — it split into M54.50, M54.51, and M54.59. The WHO international edition still uses M54.5. Know which system your payer or registry expects.
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Paste or dictate a de-identified clinical note — a few sentences is enough.
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Press Get codes. The coding system is fixed on this page.
3
Review each suggested code and its evidence, then copy the codes you agree with.
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Extracted codes
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Paste a clinical note or load an example, then press Get codes. Suggestions appear here with the supporting evidence.
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Back pain ICD-10 codes
Start with the primary code, then move to a more specific related code when the documentation supports it.
| Code | Description | System |
|---|---|---|
M54.50 | Low back pain, unspecified | ICD-10-CM |
M54.5 | Low back pain WHO international edition; not billable in ICD-10-CM since 2022 | ICD-10 |
M54.51 | Vertebrogenic low back pain | ICD-10-CM |
M54.59 | Other low back pain | ICD-10-CM |
M54.41 | Lumbago with sciatica, right side | ICD-10-CM |
M54.42 | Lumbago with sciatica, left side | ICD-10-CM |
M54.16 | Radiculopathy, lumbar region | ICD-10-CM |
M51.26 | Other intervertebral disc displacement, lumbar region | ICD-10-CM |
How to choose the right code
For US billing, never submit M54.5 — pick M54.50 (unspecified), M54.51 (vertebrogenic, documented endplate/vertebral source), or M54.59 (other). Radiating pain below the knee with positive straight-leg raise supports lumbago with sciatica (M54.41/42, laterality required) or lumbar radiculopathy (M54.16). Documented disc pathology on imaging moves you to M51.-.
Documentation example
“Acute low back pain after lifting, 5 days. Pain radiates down the left posterior thigh to the calf. SLR positive on the left at 45°. Power, reflexes, and sensation intact. No red flags. Advised to stay active; NSAIDs; physiotherapy referral.”
Suggested:
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AI suggestions are not a substitute for clinician judgment, payer rules, local coding policy, or the official code set.
FAQ
Why is M54.5 rejected by US payers?
ICD-10-CM deleted M54.5 as a billable code in October 2021, replacing it with M54.50, M54.51, and M54.59. Claims with M54.5 are denied for lack of specificity.
Sciatica or radiculopathy — which code?
Lumbago with sciatica (M54.41/42) fits pain radiating along the sciatic distribution with back pain. Documented neurological findings attributable to a nerve root support lumbar radiculopathy (M54.16), and confirmed disc displacement is coded from M51.-.
Can AI pick the right back-pain code with laterality?
Notat extracts laterality, radiation, and exam findings as clinical facts and suggests the specific code — M54.42 rather than M54.5 — with the sentence that supports it.
Related ICD-10 guides
Keep moving through the condition hub, or open the general medical coding guide for more coding systems and extractors.