Top 5 Neurological Disorders and Related ICD-10 Codes

The term neurological disorder refers to any condition caused by the dysfunction in any part of the brain or nervous system, resulting in physical and/or psychological symptoms. The brain, spinal cord and nerves together make up the nervous system and control all the workings of the body. When something goes wrong in any part of the nervous system, people may experience trouble moving, speaking, breathing or learning. In addition, they can also have problems with memory, senses, or mood.

Reports suggest that nearly 1 in 6 of the world’s population suffer from neurological disorders and there are more than 600 neurologic diseases that affect the human nervous system. Many neurological disorders are “congenital” – meaning that they are present at birth. But some of the disorders are “acquired,” which signifies that they develop after birth. Those disorders with an unknown cause are termed “idiopathic.”

In most cases, structural, biochemical or electrical abnormalities in the brain, spinal cord or other nerves can result in a wide range of symptoms. Symptoms, in most cases, depend and vary based on the type of disorder a person suffers from as well as the specific area of the body that is affected. In some instances, patients may experience emotional symptoms while in other cases they may experience physical symptoms.  Some of the common symptoms include

• Unexplained pain
• Seizures
• Poor cognitive abilities
• Partial or complete paralysis
• Pain and altered levels of consciousness
• Muscle weakness
• Difficulty reading and writing
• Confusion
• Decreased alertness
• Partial or complete loss of sensation
• Headache
• Changes in coordination or balance
• Slurred speech or tremors

I will include a transcript of all associated ICD-10 code related to the following neurological diseases.

Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, progressive brain disorder that affects movement, loss of muscle control, and balance. This condition leads to a reduction in a chemical called dopamine in the brain. The signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease can be different for everyone. Early symptoms may be mild and remain unnoticed. Common symptoms include – tremor, slowed movement, rigid muscles, impaired posture and balance, loss of automatic movements and speech and writing changes. Although it cannot be cured, medications can help control the symptoms.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that gradually destroys memory and thinking capabilities. It is a common form of dementia wherein the brain cells themselves degenerate and die, causing a steady decline in memory and mental function. A combination of genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors that affect the brain over time cause this disease. In most cases, symptoms first appear after the age of 65 and include increasing forgetfulness, mild confusion or difficulty in remembering new pieces of information. Those may be the initial symptoms of this disease. The rate at which these symptoms worsen vary from one person to another.

Epilepsy is a serious neurological disorder in which the central nerve cells in the brain work abnormally causing seizures. In patients suffering from this disease, the normal pattern of neuronal activity becomes disturbed causing strange sensations, convulsions, muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness. Treatment for this condition begins with anti-epileptic medications.

ICD-10 codes for top 5 Neurological Diseases are

1. Parkinson’s disease
   • G20: Parkinson’s disease
   • G21: Secondary Parkinsonism
     • G21.0: Malignant neuroleptic syndrome
     • G21.1: Other drug-induced secondary parkinsonism
       • G21.11: Neuroleptic induced parkinsonism
       • G21.19: Other drug induced secondary parkinsonism
     • G21.2: Secondary Parkinsonism due to other external agents
     • G21.3: Postencephalitic Parkinsonism
     • G21.4: Vascular Parkinsonism
     • G21.8: Other secondary parkinsonism
     • G21.9: Secondary parkinsonism, unspecified

2. Alzheimer’s disease
   • G30: Alzheimer’s disease
     • G30.0: Alzheimer’s disease with early onset
     • G30.1: Alzheimer’s disease with late onset
     • G30.8: Other Alzheimer’s disease
     • G30.9: Alzheimer’s disease, unspecified

3. Epilepsy
   • G40: Epilepsy and recurrent seizures
     • G40.0: Localization-related (focal) (partial) idiopathic epilepsy and epileptic syndromes with seizures of localized onset
     • G40.1: Localization-related (focal) (partial) symptomatic epilepsy and epileptic syndromes with simple partial seizures
     • G40.2: Localization-related (focal) (partial) symptomatic epilepsy and epileptic syndromes with complex partial seizures
     • G40.3: Generalized idiopathic epilepsy and epileptic syndromes
     • G40.4: Other generalized epilepsy and epileptic syndromes
     • G40.5: Epileptic seizures related to external causes
     • G40.8: Other epilepsy and recurrent seizures
     • G40.9: Epilepsy, unspecified

4. Multiple Sclerosis
   • G35: Multiple sclerosis
   • G36: Other acute disseminated demyelination
     • G36.0: Neuromyelitisoptica [Devic]
     • G36.1: Acute and sub acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis [Hurst]
     • G36.8: Other specified acute disseminated demyelination
     • G36.9: Acute disseminated demyelination, unspecified
   • G37: Other demyelinating diseases of central nervous system
     • G37.0: Diffuse sclerosis of central nervous system
     • G37.1: Central demyelination of corpus callosum
     • G37.2: Central pontine myelinolysis
     • G37.3: Acute transverse myelitis in demyelinating disease of central nervous system
     • G37.4: Sub-acute necrotizing myelitis of central nervous system
     • G37.5: Concentric sclerosis [Balo] of central nervous system
     • G37.8: Other specified demyelinating diseases of central nervous system
     • G37.9: Demyelinating disease of central nervous system, unspecified

5. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
   • G12.21: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) )

I hope this helps. But always remember that documentation and a thorough knowledge of payer regulations and guidelines is critical to ensure accurate reimbursement for the procedures performed.

Thank you for listening!