Symptoms and signs involving the nervous and musculoskeletal systems (R25-R29)

ICD-10 codes R25-R29 cover various symptoms and signs involving the nervous and musculoskeletal systems, such as abnormal involuntary movements, gait disturbances, coordination issues, and other neurological and musculoskeletal symptoms. These codes help document conditions like tremors, cramps, abnormal reflexes, and difficulties with walking or posture.

This range includes codes for abnormal involuntary movements (R25), which address tremors, spasms, and fasciculations; for example, R25.1 is used for unspecified tremors, a term encompassing symptoms like “trembles” or “massive tremor.” Gait and mobility abnormalities fall under R26, covering ataxic, paralytic, and unspecified walking difficulties, including “difficulty walking uphill” or “unsteadiness on feet” (R26.81). The category R27 addresses lack of coordination, such as ataxia (R27.0) and dyspraxia, which involve impaired balance and movement control. Other signs including tetany, meningismus, abnormal reflexes, and abnormal postures are found in R29, with specific codes like R29.0 for tetany and R29.2 for abnormal reflexes such as brisk tendon reflex or absence of pupillary response. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores (R29.7x) quantify neurological deficit severity after stroke. This chapter is essential for coding diverse neurologic and musculoskeletal signs that don’t fit into specific diagnoses but are crucial for clinical evaluation.