ICD-10 Code for Back Pain
The ICD-10-CM code for back pain is M54.9 — Dorsalgia, unspecified. It is billable for FY2027.
Back pain ICD-10 codes at a glance
| Condition | Back pain |
|---|---|
| Code | M54.9 — Dorsalgia, unspecified |
| Billable | Yes (M54.9) |
| Alphabetic Index entry | Pain, back |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027, valid October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
What changes the back pain code?
The Alphabetic Index lists these qualifiers under Pain, spine. If the record documents one of them, the code changes. Verify the code in the Tabular List before reporting it.
Can you code back pain when the cause is known?
Back pain is a symptom rather than a diagnosis. The official guidelines allow a symptom code while a related definitive diagnosis has not been established, and a symptom routinely associated with a confirmed disease is not coded separately:
“Codes that describe symptoms and signs, as opposed to diagnoses, are acceptable for reporting purposes when a related definitive diagnosis has not been established (confirmed) by the provider.”
“Signs and symptoms that are associated routinely with a disease process should not be assigned as additional codes, unless otherwise instructed by the classification.”
What else changes the back pain code?
When the record documents the pain as acute or chronic, a code from category G89 (for example G89.29, other chronic pain) can be added to the site code for more detail. Without that documentation — or a postprocedural, post-thoracotomy or neoplasm-related cause — G89 is not used.
“Codes in category G89, Pain, not elsewhere classified, may be used in conjunction with codes from other categories and chapters to provide more detail about acute or chronic pain and neoplasm-related pain, unless otherwise indicated below.”
“If the pain is not specified as acute or chronic, post-thoracotomy, postprocedural, or neoplasm-related, do not assign codes from category G89.”
What does the Tabular List say about M54.9?
The instructional notes that govern M54.9, including those it inherits from its category and chapter. An Excludes1 note means the two codes are never reported together.
Inclusion terms
Alternative wording in documentation that is classified to M54.9.
- Backache NOS
- Back pain NOS
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from M50-M54
The conditions below can never be reported together with M54.9 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
- current injury - see injury of spine by body region
- discitis NOS (M46.4-)
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from M54
The conditions below can never be reported together with M54.9 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
- psychogenic dorsalgia (F45.41)
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 13
The conditions below are not part of M54.9, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, M54.9 and the excluded code may both 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)
Codes, descriptions and Index entries are from the official ICD-10-CM FY2027 release. Guideline text is quoted from the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting FY 2027. A code must always be verified in the Tabular List before it is reported. Data sources