Chronic pain due to trauma

This code signifies persistent, long-term pain directly resulting from a physical injury or trauma. The pain has endured beyond the expected healing period for the initial injury, indicating a chronic condition rather than acute post-traumatic pain.

Apply this code when documentation clearly states chronic pain with a direct causal link to a past traumatic event, such as a fracture, sprain, or crush injury. This is appropriate when the pain is no longer considered acute and has persisted for at least three months.

• Ensure the documentation explicitly links the chronic pain to a specific traumatic event.
• Do not use for acute post-traumatic pain; consider codes from the T-series for acute injuries.
• Always code the underlying cause of the trauma (e.g., fracture, dislocation) as an additional diagnosis if still relevant.