Myalgia of mastication muscle

This code describes pain originating from the muscles involved in chewing, such as the masseter, temporalis, and pterygoid muscles. It represents a localized muscular pain syndrome affecting the jaw and surrounding facial structures, often associated with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction.

Use this code when documentation specifies myalgia or muscle pain directly attributed to the masticatory muscles. This typically occurs in patients presenting with jaw pain, difficulty chewing, or facial discomfort where the source is identified as muscular rather than joint-specific or neuropathic.

• Ensure documentation clearly specifies "myalgia" or "muscle pain" of the masticatory muscles, not just general jaw pain.
• Differentiate from temporomandibular joint disorders (e.g., M26.6x) unless myalgia is the primary or sole diagnosis.
• Consider laterality if specified (e.g., right, left, bilateral) as some codes allow for this specificity, though M79.11 is unspecified.