(2022) How To Code Cervical Radiculopathy ICD 10 – Codes & Guidelines

Cervical radiculopathy ICD 10 coding is made easier with our billing guidelines. This article includes all medical codes you will need to report cervical radiculopathy and related specific ICD 10 & 11 codes, such as such as cervical spondylosis with radiculopathy cervical disc herniation with radiculopathy.

Read on to get a summary of the necessary codes followed by a further description.

What Is Cervical Radiculopathy?

Cervical radiculopathy, often known as a pinched nerve, is an injury to or a change in the function of a nerve caused by compression of one of the nerve roots around the cervical vertebrae.

Radiculopathy And The Roots Of The Cervical Nerve

In the cervical spine, there are eight pairs of cervical nerve roots, numbered C1 through C8.

Seven small vertebrae form your cervical spine or neck and begin at the base of your skull. This is the area in which cervical radiculopathy occurs.

These nerve roots emerge from the spinal cord and pass via an intervertebral foramen on both sides of the spinal canal (small bony opening between the adjacent vertebrae).

These cervical nerves branch out much more to supply muscles that allow the shoulders, arms, hands, and fingers to operate. They also transport sensory fibers that provide sensation to the skin.

Depending on where the damaged roots are located, injury to these nerve roots can cause pain and loss of feeling along the nerve’s route into the arm and hand.

Damage can happen as a result of pressure from debris from a ruptured disc, degenerative changes in bones, arthritis, or other injuries that put pressure on the nerve roots.

The following are some of the most common causes of cervical radiculopathy:

Degenerative changes in the discs: Normal degenerative changes in the discs might put pressure on nerve roots in middle-aged adults.

For example, cervical foraminal stenosis occurs when these alterations constrict the holes in your vertebrae, pinching nerve roots.

Injury: A ruptured disc, possibly as a result of trauma, is the most common cause of cervical radiculopathy in younger people. When you bend, raise, twist, or pull, your disks are more likely to herniate.

The debris from a herniated disk compresses or inflames the nerve root, causing discomfort.

Cervical radiculopathy is less often caused by:

• Infections of the spinal cord
• Cancer-related tumors in the spine
• Spinal benign (or noncancerous) growths
• Sarcoidosis is characterized by the proliferation of inflammatory cells.

When it comes to cervical radiculopathy, the exact mechanism of nerve irritation or damage isn’t always clear.

Rather than a true mechanical impingement of the nerve root, chemical mechanisms linked to inflammation are thought to be the most common cause of nerve root injury that results in radiculopathy.

Your risk of having cervical radiculopathy may be higher if you:

• Are caucasian
• Are a cigarette smoker
• Previously had radiculopathy
• Carry heavy items
• Always dive into a swimming pool from a diving board
• Drive equipment that often vibrates
• Are a golf player 

Symptoms Of Cervical Radiculopathy

Pain in the arm, neck, chest, upper back, and/or shoulders is the most common symptom of cervical radiculopathy. This usually just affects one side of your body.

A person with radiculopathy may also have the following symptoms:

Numbness or tingling in the fingers or hands are examples of sensory problems.

Muscle weakness, lack of coordination, or loss of reflexes in your arms or legs are all examples of motor difficulties.

Diagnosis And Tests For Cervical Radiculopathy

This includes taking a full history ruling out other differentials, performing a full general examination, investigation to be carried out include:

X-rays to check for spinal opening narrowing or disk damage.

CT scans are used to provide more comprehensive images of your cervical spine while MRIs are used to look for nerve root or soft tissue damage.

Electromyography is a test that determines how your muscles work while they are at rest and when they are contracted.

Treatment

Cervical radiculopathy symptoms in some persons improve with time and might not require therapy. If treatment is necessary, your doctor will begin with nonsurgical options, including:

• Medications Such as potent steroids or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, i.e., naproxen or sirdulad
• Physical therapy

Surgery is done to relieve the compression.

Cervical Radiculopathy ICD 10

Cervical radiculopathy ICD 10 is coded M54.12 radiculopathy, cervical region, is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes.

It is located in chapter Xii, Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue M00-M99, under block Other dorsopathies M50-M54, category Dorsalgia M54.

Synonyms:

Cervical (neck) radiculitis

Cervical (neck) radiculopathy

Cervical radiculitis

Cervical radiculopathy

Ulnar neuritis

Excludes1:

Neuralgia and neuritis NOS (M79.2).

Radiculopathy with cervical disc disorder (M50.1).

Radiculopathy with lumbar and other intervertebral disc disorders (M51.1-).

Radiculopathy with spondylosis (M47.2-).

Psychogenic dorsalgia (F45.41).

Cervical Spondylosis With Radiculopathy ICD 10

Cervical spondylosis with radiculopathy ICD 10 is coded as M47.22 other spondylosis with radiculopathy, cervical region.

It is a billable code located In chapter XII Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue M00-M99, under block Spondylopathies M45-M49, category Spondylosis M47- 

Includes: 

Arthrosis or osteoarthritis of the spine.

Degeneration of facet joints.

Cervical Disc Disorder With Radiculopathy ICD 10

Cervical disc disorder with radiculopathy ICD 10 is coded M50.13 Cervical disc disorder with radiculopathy, cervicothoracic region, it is billable code located in chapter XIII Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue M00-M99, under block other dorsopathiesM50-M54, under category cervical disc disorders M50–

Applicable to radiculopathy caused by a C7-T1 disc disorder and C8 radiculopathy as a result of a disc disorder. 

Synonyms:

Cervical (neck) disc disorder with radiculopathy of the spine.

Cervicothoracic disc disorder with radiculopathy Cervicothoracic disc disorder with radiculopathy.

Radiculopathy of the cervicothoracic spine as a result of a disc problem.

Cervical Stenosis With Radiculopathy ICD 10

Cervical stenosis is the narrowing of your spinal canal at the level cervical. The free areas between your vertebrae start to get narrower as the spinal canal narrows.

The compression can cause pain, tingling, or numbness in your legs, arms, or torso by pinching the spinal cord or the nerves surrounding it.

Hence cervical radiculopathy could be a complication of stenosis at the neck, so here double diagnosis is made, which is cervical radiculopathy secondary to cervical stenosis. They are coded accordingly.

Cervical stenosis ICD 10 coded is as M48.02 Spinal stenosis, cervical region, is a billable code located In chapter XII Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue M00-M99, under block Spondylopathies M45-M49, category other spondylopathies M48-,

Synonyms:

Spinal stenosis in the cervical region.

Spinal stenosis in the cervical region with myelopathy.

Spinal stenosis in the cervical region without myelopathy.

Spinal stenosis of the cervical spine.

Stenosis of cervical (neck) spine region.

Stenosis of cervical (neck) spine with myelopathy.

Stenosis of the cervical spine without myopathy.

And then, the cervical radiculopathy in which a patient presents with the following cervical stenosis is coded as M54.12.

Left Cervical Radiculopathy ICD 10

No code exists to specifically describe the literality of left cervical radiculopathy ICD. However, it can be coded as M54.12.

Cervical Lumbar Radiculopathy ICD 10

Lumbar radiculopathy ICD 10 code is M54.16 radiculopathy, lumbar region.

It is a billable code located in chapter Xii Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue M00-M99, under block Other dorsopathies M50-M54, category Dorsalgia M54.

Synonyms:

• Lumbar radiculopathy

Right Cervical Radiculopathy ICD 10

No code exists to specifically describe the literality of left cervical radiculopathy ICD. However, it can be coded as M54.12.

ICD 10 Code For Cervical Stenosis With Myelopathy And Radiculopathy

Assign codes M48. 02 for cervical spinal stenosis, M54.12 for cervical radiculopathy, and G99. 2 for myelopathy in disorders classified elsewhere.

This is located in chapter VI Diseases of the nervous system G00-G99, under block other disorders of the nervous system G89-G99, category other disorders of the nervous system in diseases classified elsewhere G99-.

Cervical Disc Herniation With Radiculopathy ICD 10

It is coded M50.10 Cervical disc disorder with radiculopathy, unspecified cervical region.

It is billable code located in chapter XIII Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue M00-M99, under block other dorsopathies M50-M54, under category cervical disc disorders M50-.

Synonyms:

Brachial neuritis and/or radiculitis due to displacement of cervical intervertebral disc.

Cervical (neck) disc disorder w radiculopathy.

Cervical disc disorder with radiculopathy.

Cervical disc herniation with brachial radiculitis.

Cervical disc herniation with radiculopathy.

Cervical disc prolapse with radiculopathy.

Cervical Radiculopathy ICD 11

ICD 8B93 codes radiculopathy, it is located in chapter VIII diseases of the nervous system, under block:

Disorders of the nerve root, plexus, or peripheral nerves (BlockL1-8B8).

Nerve root or plexus disorders (BlockL2-8B).

Excl. related to 8B93:

Neuritis (FB56).

Intervertebral disc degeneration (FA80).

ICD 8B93.0 codes radiculopathy due to compression.

ICD 8B93.6 codes radiculopathy due to Intervertebral disc disorders.

ICD 8B93.8 codes radiculopathy due to spondylitis.

ICD 8B93.Y codes other specified radiculopathy.

Synonyms:

Other specified radiculopathy

Radiculopathy, multiple sites in spine

Radiculopathy, occipito-atlanto-axial region

Radiculopathy, cervical region

Radiculopathy, cervicothoracic region

Radiculopathy, thoracic region

Radiculopathy, thoracolumbar region

Radiculopathy, lumbar region

Radiculopathy, lumbosacral region

Radiculopathy, sacral and sacrococcygeal region

Cervical Disc Disorder With Radiculopathy

Lumbar and other intervertebral disc disorders with radiculopathy

Brachial neuritis

Brachial neuritis or radiculitis NOS

Lumbar neuritis

Lumbar neuritis or radiculitis NOS

Lumbosacral neuritis or radiculitis NOS

Thoracic neuritis

Thoracic neuritis or radiculitis NOS

Thorax spinal pain with radicular and visceral pain

ICD 8B93.Z codes radiculopathy unspecified 

Synonyms: 

Radiculopathy, unspecified

Radiculopathy

Radiculopathy, site unspecified

Radicular neuropathy

Radicular syndrome

Radicular pain

Radiculitis

Radiculitis NOS

Spinal root pain

Nerve root neuritis

– Dr. Quazim Omisore,
Medical Professional & Coding Expert