2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code M54.6Pain in thoracic spine
ICD-10-CM Codes›M00–M99›M50-M54›M54
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- Not Chronic
M54.6 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for pain in thoracic spine. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 551 through 552. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Musculoskeletal pain, not low back pain.
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.
- Acute thoracic back pain
- Chronic chest pain
- Chronic thoracic back pain
- Myofascial pain
- Myofascial pain syndrome
- Myofascial pain syndrome of thorax
- Pain in thoracic spine
- Pain of facet joint
- Pain of vertebral joint
- Pain on movement of thoracic spine
- Tenderness of thoracic spine
- Thoracic back pain
- Thoracic facet joint pain
Tabular List NotesGuidance
Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.
Type 1 Excludes
- pain in thoracic spine due to intervertebral disc disorder M51
A type 1 excludes note is a pure excludes note. It means "NOT CODED HERE!" An Excludes1 note indicates that the code excluded should never be used at the same time as the code above the Excludes1 note. An Excludes1 is used when two conditions cannot occur together, such as a congenital form versus an acquired form of the same condition.
Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance
External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance
References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.
- Pain(s)
- spine
- thoracic
- Pain(s)
- thoracic spine
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Patient EducationClinical
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.
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert M54.6 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About M54.6Overview
Is M54.6 (Dorsalgia) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report pain in thoracic spine on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What MS-DRG does M54.6 group to?
When pain in thoracic spine is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 551, 552, with relative weights from 0.9613 to 1.6761 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of M54.6?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, pain in thoracic spine converts to ICD-9-CM 724.1 (pain in thoracic spine). The mapping is a direct match.
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.
