2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R52Pain, unspecified

ICD-10-CM Codes›R00–R99›R50-R69›R52

ICD-10-CM R52
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

R52 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for pain, unspecified. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 947 through 948. As a symptom code, it should not be used as a principal diagnosis once a related definitive diagnosis has been established. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Other general signs and symptoms.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
R52
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Pain, unspecified
Short Description
Pain, unspecified
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Chapter
R50-R69
General symptoms and signs

Code Classification

ChapterR00–R99Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified
SectionR50-R69General symptoms and signs
CategoryR52Pain, unspecified
This CodeR52Pain, unspecified

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Able to cope
  • Able to cope with pain
  • Aching pain
  • Acute pain
  • Alimentary tract pain due to vascular insufficiency
  • Alteration in comfort: chronic pain
  • Alteration in comfort: pain
  • Application site pain
  • Bilateral amputation stump pain of lower limbs
  • Bilateral amputation stump pain of upper limbs
  • Breakthrough pain
  • Burning pain
  • Catch
  • Chronic back pain
  • Chronic intractable pain
  • Chronic pain
  • Compensated movement at site of pain
  • Constant pain
  • Cramping pain
  • Crushing pain
  • Cryalgesia
  • Crymodynia
  • Cutting pain
  • Deep pain
  • Difficulty coping
  • Difficulty coping with pain
  • Diffuse pain
  • Drilling quality pain
  • Dull pain
  • Electric shock type pain
  • Excruciating pain
  • Exquisite pain
  • Fearful with pain
  • Finding of affective dimension of pain
  • Finding of pain sense
  • Finding of response to pain
  • Finding of sensation of testes
  • Finding of sensation of wound
  • Finding of sensory dimension of pain
  • Finding related to ability to cope with pain
  • Finding related to pain control behavior
  • Fracture pain
  • Freezing pain
  • Generalized aches and pains
  • Generalized acute body pains
  • Generalized chronic body pains
  • Gnawing pain
  • Gradual onset of pain
  • Griping pain
  • Health management deficit
  • Heavy pain
  • Inadequate pain control
  • Increased pain
  • Inflammatory pain
  • Injection site pain
  • Intermittent pain
  • Late effect of injury of testicle
  • Localized chest pain
  • Localized pain
  • Mechanical pain
  • Mild pain
  • Moderate pain
  • Night pain
  • Obstetric pain
  • Pain
  • Pain aggravated by position
  • Pain aggravated by walking
  • Pain behavior
  • Pain behavior present
  • Pain by sensation quality
  • Pain character - finding
  • Pain characterized by provoking factor
  • Pain characterized by relieving factor
  • Pain crisis
  • Pain due to dental trauma
  • Pain during labor and delivery
  • Pain during regional anesthesia for cesarean section
  • Pain finding at anatomical site
  • Pain following administration of agent
  • Pain following cerebrovascular accident
  • Pain in area of anesthesia
  • Pain in lymph nodes after alcohol consumption
  • Pain in testicle
  • Pain in testicle as late effect of injury to testicle
  • Pain not aggravated by walking
  • Pain of amputation stump of left lower limb
  • Pain of amputation stump of left upper limb
  • Pain of amputation stump of right lower limb
  • Pain of amputation stump of right upper limb
  • Pain of endocrine structure
  • Pain of lymph node
  • Pain of lymphoreticular structure
  • Pain of respiratory structure
  • Pain of skin
  • Pain of truncal structure
  • Pain on movement of skin
  • Pain onset at rest
  • Pain onset during moderate exercise
  • Pain onset during sleep
  • Pain provoked by allergen
  • Pain provoked by altercation
  • Pain provoked by coughing
  • Pain provoked by eating
  • Pain provoked by exertion
  • Pain provoked by lifting
  • Pain provoked by light
  • Pain provoked by movement
  • Pain provoked by rest
  • Pain provoked by running
  • Pain provoked by temperature
  • Pain provoked by trauma
  • Pain provoked by walking
  • Pain radiating to left flank
  • Pain radiating to right flank
  • Pain radiating to thoracic region left side
  • Pain radiating to thoracic region right side
  • Pain relief by lowering leg
  • Pain relief by medication
  • Pain relief related to position
  • Pain relieved by analgesic
  • Pain self-management deficit, acute
  • Pain threshold - finding
  • Painful cough
  • Peripheral vascular disease with rest pain
  • Persistent wound pain
  • Pricking pain
  • Psychroalgia
  • Punishing with pain
  • Radiating pain
  • Referred pain
  • Sclerotomal pain
  • Sequelae of reproductive disorders
  • Severe pain
  • Sharp pain
  • Shooting pain
  • Sickening with pain
  • Smarting pain
  • Somatic pain
  • Soreness
  • Splitting pain
  • Spontaneous pain
  • Squeezing pain
  • Stabbing pain
  • Stated pain intensity within acceptable range
  • Superficial pain
  • Suxamethonium pains
  • Talking painful
  • Tender point
  • Tenderness
  • Tenderness of body region
  • Tenderness of body structure
  • Tenderness of endocrine structure
  • Tenderness of lymphoreticular structure
  • Tenderness of wound
  • Throbbing pain
  • Tightening pain
  • Tingling pain
  • Tiring with pain
  • Total body pain syndrome
  • Uncontrolled pain
  • Variation of pain
  • Vaso-occlusive pain episode in sickle cell disease
  • Very mild pain
  • Visceral pain
  • Wound pain

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to R52: its own notes plus those printed at Chapter 18. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

Applicable To

Conditions this code is used for: synonyms of the title or, for "other specified" codes, the conditions assigned to it. The list is not exhaustive.

  • Acute pain NOS
  • Generalized pain NOS
  • Pain NOS

Excludes1

Not coded here: the excluded code is never reported together with this one, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

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.

From Chapter 18 (R00-R99) Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified applies to 774 codes
  • abnormal findings on antenatal screening of mother (O28.-)
  • certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
  • signs and symptoms classified in the body system chapters
  • signs and symptoms of breast (N63, N64.5)

Notes

General instructions on how these codes are used.

From Chapter 18 (R00-R99) Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified applies to 774 codes
  • This chapter includes symptoms, signs, abnormal results of clinical or other investigative procedures, and ill-defined conditions regarding which no diagnosis classifiable elsewhere is recorded.
  • Signs and symptoms that point rather definitely to a given diagnosis have been assigned to a category in other chapters of the classification. In general, categories in this chapter include the less well-defined conditions and symptoms that, without the necessary study of the case to establish a final diagnosis, point perhaps equally to two or more diseases or to two or more systems of the body. Practically all categories in the chapter could be designated 'not otherwise specified', 'unknown etiology' or 'transient'. The Alphabetical Index should be consulted to determine which symptoms and signs are to be allocated here and which to other chapters. The residual subcategories, numbered .8, are generally provided for other relevant symptoms that cannot be allocated elsewhere in the classification.
  • The conditions and signs or symptoms included in categories R00-R94 consist of:
  • (a) cases for which no more specific diagnosis can be made even after all the facts bearing on the case have been investigated;
  • (b) signs or symptoms existing at the time of initial encounter that proved to be transient and whose causes could not be determined;
  • (c) provisional diagnosis in a patient who failed to return for further investigation or care;
  • (d) cases referred elsewhere for investigation or treatment before the diagnosis was made;
  • (e) cases in which a more precise diagnosis was not available for any other reason;
  • (f) certain symptoms, for which supplementary information is provided, that represent important problems in medical care in their own right.

Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.

Referenced in Other NotesGuidance

Instructional notes printed at other codes that name R52, its category, or a range that includes it.

Excludes1 3

These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming R52: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

  • F45.4 Pain disorders related to psychological factors
    pain NOS (R52)
  • G89 Pain, not elsewhere classified
    generalized pain NOS (R52)
  • G89 Pain, not elsewhere classified
    pain NOS (R52)

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR SYM016
Other general signs and symptoms
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Pain

    an unpleasant sensation induced by noxious stimuli which are detected by nerve endings of nociceptive neurons.

Patient EducationClinical

Pain

Pain is a signal in your nervous system that something may be wrong. It is an unpleasant feeling, such as a prick, tingle, sting, burn, or ache. Each person feels pain differently, even if the reason for the pain is the same. Pain may be sharp or dull. It may be mild or severe. Pain may come and go, or it may be constant.

The full article covers:

  • What is pain?
  • What are the types of pain?
  • What causes pain?
  • How is pain diagnosed?
  • What are the treatments for pain?

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert R52 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
338.19 Acute pain NEC
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.
ICD-9-CM
780.96 Generalized pain
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About R52Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for pain, unspecified?

The ICD-10-CM code for pain, unspecified is R52. It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Is R52 (Pain, unspecified) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report pain, unspecified on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

What MS-DRG does R52 group to?

When pain, unspecified is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 948, 947, with relative weights from 0.7833 to 1.2608 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

Can R52 be a principal diagnosis?

Use it with care. This is a symptom code, so once a definitive diagnosis explaining the pain, unspecified is established, that condition takes the principal position instead.

Can R52 be reported with a code from G89?

Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note on R52 lists "acute and chronic pain, not elsewhere classified (G89.-)". 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).