2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code M54.50
Low back pain, unspecified
- ICD-10-CM Code:
- M54.50
- ICD-10 Code for:
- Low back pain, unspecified
- Is Billable?
- Yes - Valid for Submission
- Chronic Condition Indicator: [1]
- Not chronic
- Code Navigator:
M54.50 is a billable diagnosis code used to specify a medical diagnosis of low back pain, unspecified. The code is valid during the current fiscal year for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions from October 01, 2023 through September 30, 2024.
Unspecified diagnosis codes like M54.50 are acceptable when clinical information is unknown or not available about a particular condition. Although a more specific code is preferable, unspecified codes should be used when such codes most accurately reflect what is known about a patient's condition. Specific diagnosis codes should not be used if not supported by the patient's medical record.
Approximate Synonyms
The following clinical terms are approximate synonyms or lay terms that might be used to identify the correct diagnosis code:
- Acute low back pain
- Chronic low back pain
- Intractable low back pain
- Loin pain
- Low back pain
- Low back pain in pregnancy
- Lumbar ache - renal
- Mechanical low back pain
- Obstetric pain
- Pain in coccyx
- Pain in left lumbar region of back
- Pain in lumbar region on palpation
- Pain in right lumbar region of back
- Pain in sacrum
- Pain radiating to lumbar region of back
- Posterior compartment low back pain
- Postural low back pain
- Sacral back pain
- Sacrocoxalgia
- Tenderness of left lumbar region of back
- Tenderness of right lumbar region of back
Clinical Classification
Clinical Category is Low back pain
- CCSR Category Code: MUS038
- Inpatient Default CCSR: Y - Yes, default inpatient assignment for principal diagnosis or first-listed diagnosis.
- Outpatient Default CCSR: Y - Yes, default outpatient assignment for principal diagnosis or first-listed diagnosis.
Clinical Information
Low Back Pain
acute or chronic pain in the lumbar or sacral regions, which may be associated with musculo-ligamentous sprains and strains; intervertebral disk displacement; and other conditions.
Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries
The following annotation back-references are applicable to this diagnosis code. The Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries is a list of ICD-10-CM codes, organized "head to toe" into chapters and sections with coding notes and guidance for inclusions, exclusions, descriptions and more.
Inclusion Terms
Inclusion TermsThese terms are the conditions for which that code is to be used. The terms may be synonyms of the code title, or, in the case of "other specified" codes, the terms are a list of the various conditions assigned to that code. The inclusion terms are not necessarily exhaustive. Additional terms found only in the Alphabetic Index may also be assigned to a code.
- Loin pain
- Lumbago NOS
Index to Diseases and Injuries References
The following annotation back-references for this diagnosis code are found in the injuries and diseases index. The Index to Diseases and Injuries is an alphabetical listing of medical terms, with each term mapped to one or more ICD-10-CM code(s).
- - Low
- - back syndrome - M54.50
- - Lumbago, lumbalgia - M54.50
Replacement Code
M5450 replaces the following previously assigned ICD-10-CM code(s):
- M54.5 - Low back pain
Patient Education
Back Pain
If you've ever groaned, "Oh, my aching back!", you are not alone. Back pain is one of the most common medical problems, affecting 8 out of 10 people at some point during their lives. Back pain can range from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp pain. Acute back pain comes on suddenly and usually lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Back pain is called chronic if it lasts for more than three months.
Most back pain goes away on its own, though it may take awhile. Taking over-the-counter pain relievers and resting can help. However, staying in bed for more than 1 or 2 days can make it worse.
If your back pain is severe or doesn't improve after three days, you should call your health care provider. You should also get medical attention if you have back pain following an injury.
Treatment for back pain depends on what kind of pain you have, and what is causing it. It may include hot or cold packs, exercise, medicines, injections, complementary treatments, and sometimes surgery.
NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
[Learn More in MedlinePlus]
Code History
- FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
- FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
- FY 2022 - Code Added, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
Footnotes
[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.