2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code M54.2Cervicalgia
ICD-10-CM Codes›M00–M99›M50-M54›M54
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- Chronic Condition
M54.2 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for cervicalgia. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 551 through 552. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Spondylopathies/spondyloarthropathy (including infective).
This medical diagnosis code is frequently used in Family Practice, Internal Medicine, and Orthopedics medical specialties to designate conditions such back and neck pain.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Axis pressure pain
- Cervical facet joint pain
- Cervical spine tender
- Cervico-occipital neuralgia
- Chronic neck pain
- Chronic neck pain for greater than 3 months
- Chronic primary cervical pain
- Finding of sensation of musculoskeletal structure of neck
- Finding of sensation of thyroid gland
- Myofascial neck pain
- Myofascial pain syndrome
- Myofascial pain syndrome of neck
- Neck pain
- Neck pain aggravated by recumbency
- Neck pain co-occurrent with neck stiffness following whiplash injury to neck
- Neck pain co-occurrent with neurological deficit following whiplash injury to neck
- Neck pain co-occurrent with tenderness of neck following whiplash injury to neck
- Neurological deficit
- Nuchal pain
- Pain in cervical spine
- Pain in thyroid
- Pain of endocrine structure
- Pain of facet joint
- Pain of head and neck region
- Pain of vertebral joint
- Pain on movement of cervical spine
- Pain radiating to neck
- Stiff neck
- Tenderness of bone
- Tenderness of endocrine structure
- Tenderness of head and neck region
- Tenderness of neck
- Tenderness of spinous process of cervical vertebra
- Tenderness of thyroid
Instructional NotesGuidance
Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to M54.2: its own notes plus those printed at M54, block M50-M54, and Chapter 13. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.
Excludes1
Not coded here: the excluded code is never reported together with this one, unless the two conditions are unrelated.
- cervicalgia due to intervertebral cervical disc disorder (M50.-)
- current injury - see injury of spine by body region
- discitis NOS (M46.4-)
Excludes2
Not included here: the excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient may have both, so both codes may be reported.
- arthropathic psoriasis (L40.5-)
- certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
- certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
- compartment syndrome (traumatic) (T79.A-)
- complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
- congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
- endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)
- injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
- neoplasms (C00-D49)
- symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)
Notes
General instructions on how these codes are used.
- Use an external cause code following the code for the musculoskeletal condition, if applicable, to identify the cause of the musculoskeletal condition
Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.
Referenced in Other NotesGuidance
Instructional notes printed at other codes that name M54.2, its category, or a range that includes it.
Excludes1 2
These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming M54.2: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.
Excludes2 3
These codes carry an Excludes2 note naming M54.2: its condition is not part of those codes, and both may be reported when the patient has both.
Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Clinical InformationClinical
Neck Pain
discomfort or more intense forms of pain that are localized to the cervical region. this term generally refers to pain in the posterior or lateral regions of the neck.
Patient EducationClinical
Neck Injuries and Disorders
Any part of your neck - muscles, bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, or nerves - can cause neck problems. Neck pain is very common. Pain may also come from your shoulder, jaw, head, or upper arms.
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert M54.2 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About M54.2Overview
What is the ICD-10 code for cervicalgia?
The ICD-10-CM code for cervicalgia is M54.2 (sometimes written as M542). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
Is M54.2 (Dorsalgia) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report cervicalgia on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
What MS-DRG does M54.2 group to?
When cervicalgia is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 551, 552, with relative weights from 0.9582 to 1.6350 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
Can M54.2 be reported with a code from M50?
Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note on M54.2 lists "cervicalgia due to intervertebral cervical disc disorder (M50.-)". An Excludes1 note means the excluded code is never reported together with this one; the only exception is when the two conditions are unrelated to each other (Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of M54.2?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, cervicalgia converts to ICD-9-CM 723.1 (cervicalgia). The mapping is a direct match.
