Advanced Search

Anesthesia Coding Alert

Terminology Time:

What Constitutes Pain?

Published on Thu May 13, 2004

Many causes lead to spine problems The term "pain" is so broad that many patients have difficulty characterizing it. Some have acute pain that has lasted less than six months and is directly related to tissue damage or pain following an accident or injury. Others have chronic pain, which is longer-lasting and may or may not have an identifiable cause.

The longer either type of pain lasts, the more susceptible it is to other influences and the more likely it is to develop into a chronic pain condition or cause structural problems such as degenerative disk disease (722.xx, Intervertebral disk disorders), spinal stenosis (723.0, Spinal stenosis in cervical region; or 724.0x, Spinal stenosis, other than cervical) or spondylolisthesis (738.4, Acquired spondylolisthesis).

The more you know about the spine and how these types of damage affect it, the more successful your coding will be.
You’ve reached your limit of free articles. Already a subscriber? Log in.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe today to continue reading this article. Plus, you’ll get:
  • Simple explanations of current healthcare regulations and payer programs
  • Real-world reporting scenarios solved by our expert coders
  • Industry news, such as MAC and RAC activities, the OIG Work Plan, and CERT reports
  • Instant access to every article ever published in your eNewsletter
  • 6 annual AAPC-approved CEUs*
  • The latest updates for CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, NCCI edits, modifiers, compliance, technology, practice management, and more
*CEUs available with select eNewsletters.

Other Articles in this issue of

Anesthesia Coding Alert

View All