M25.522 – Pain in left elbow

The ICD-10-CM code M25.522 is for diagnosing a patient with pain in their left elbow. Learn what this code entails, from its clinical information, if it’s billable or not, FAQs, and even related ICD-10 codes by reading this short guide.

By Joshua Napilay on Jun 16, 2024.

Fact Checked by Ericka Pingol.

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M25.522 – Pain in left elbow Is the M25.522 billable?M25.522 clinical information M25.522 synonyms include Other ICD-10 codes commonly used for elbow pain FAQS

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M25.522 – Pain in left elbow

The M25.522 is an ICD code included in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM, for short), and it is used to designate “Pain in left elbow.”

The ICD code’s designation is straightforward. It means that the patient is dealing with pain in their left elbow. This pain can either be acute or chronic.

The former is a type of pain that pops up suddenly due to injury, inflammation, or a disease that affects the elbow. This type of pain may go away after a short while, especially if the patient undergoes the necessary treatment; however, there might be a chance of the acute pain evolving into chronic pain, which is a type of pain that tends to stick around for a long while. If chronic pain is left unchecked for too long, it can result in unfavorable outcomes.

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Is the M25.522 billable?

Yes, the M25.522 ICD code is billable and can be used to designate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes.

M25.522 clinical information

Just so you know, the M25.522 designation is just a general diagnosis. “Pain in left elbow” could point to any number of elbow problems the patient might be dealing with, but it doesn’t point to any specifics. It just specifies the general location of the pain.

The pain can simply be caused by tendinitis, which is caused by sudden movements or overuse. If a patient participates in activities that involve a lot of elbow movement, they’re likely to get tendinitis.

Pain can even be caused by terrible injuries like the dislocation of the elbow, fractures, and other unfavorable ailments your patient hopefully doesn’t have.

To get to the bottom of what is causing the pain in their left elbow, it’s best for you to conduct a comprehensive exam to figure out the specific problem causing the pain and make the necessary diagnosis. Your treatment will depend on what problem will be identified and confirmed. Do they simply need pain medication? Do they need a cast because the elbow got dislocated or is broken? Do they need surgery? A comprehensive examination should answer those questions.

M25.522 synonyms include

Pain in elbow
Elbow joint pain
Pain of left elbow joint
Bilateral elbow joint pain

Other ICD-10 codes commonly used for elbow pain

M25.52 - Pain in elbow
M25.521 - Pain in right elbow
M25.529 - Pain in unspecified elbow
M25.02 - Hemarthrosis, elbow
M25.021 - Hemarthrosis, right elbow
M25.022 - Hemarthrosis, left elbow
M25.029 - Hemarthrosis, unspecified elbow
M25.12 - Fistula, elbow
M25.121 - Fistula, right elbow
M25.122 - Fistula, left elbow
M25.129 - Fistula, unspecified elbow

Commonly asked questions

Is the M25.522 ICD-10 code billable?

Yes, this ICD-10 code is billable.

When is it best to use this ICD-10 code?

When you have a patient with pain in the left elbow, but the problem hasn’t been identified. It’s just painful in general.

What are the common treatments for M25.522?

It depends on what the problem is. Is the elbow dislocated? Then cold and hot compress and keeping it immobile using a splint or sling are usually the go-to treatments. Even pain relievers and anti-inflammation medicine will be prescribed. If the elbow is broken at it has compound fractures, then surgery needs to be performed to fix it. Again, it depends on the specific problem.