Chronic pain

Definition

Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage. Often, pain serves as a symptom warning of a medical condition or injury. In these cases, treatment of the underlying medical condition is crucial and may resolve the pain. However, pain may persist despite successful management of the condition that initially caused it, or because the underlying medical condition cannot be treated successfully. Chronic pain is pain that persists or recurs for longer than 3 months. Such pain often becomes the sole or predominant clinical problem in some patients. As such it may warrant specific diagnostic evaluation, therapy and rehabilitation. Chronic pain is a frequent condition, affecting an estimated 20% of people worldwide. It is multifactorial: biological, psychological and social factors contribute to the pain syndrome.

Coding note

This code should be used if a pain condition persists or recurs for longer than 3 months.

Exclusions

• Acute pain (MG31)

9 subordinate codes

• MG30.0Chronic primary pain
• MG30.1Chronic cancer related pain
• MG30.2Chronic postsurgical or post traumatic pain
• MG30.3Chronic secondary musculoskeletal pain
• MG30.4Chronic secondary visceral pain
• MG30.5Chronic neuropathic pain
• MG30.6Chronic secondary headache or orofacial pain
• 4B4YOther specified diseases of the immune system
• 4B4ZDiseases of the immune system, unspecified

Nearby in Pain

• MG31Acute pain
• 4B4ZDiseases of the immune system, unspecified