In the eleventh revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-11), the World Health Organization (WHO) established a systematic classification of chronic pain. By breaking down frequent painful clinical entities into subgroups according to etiology and underlying reasons, this update fills in the gaps and fixes mistakes in the previous version (ICD-10).
The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-11)
To standardize the recording and tracking of diagnosed diseases and facilitate research on their causes and treatments, the World Health Organization (WHO) released the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). A global standard for classifying diseases, injuries, and causes of death.
Accordingly, the new updates in the ICD-11, approved in January of 2022, aims to provide support to the global medical community. These updates include Multilingual support, Content Expansion, Enhanced Diagnostic detail, Streamlined transition tools, Digital tools and API enhancements, Maintenance platform optimization, and Global implementation support.
The ICD-11 on Chronic Pain
According to the new classification, chronic pain is ongoing or recurrent pain lasting for three months or more. Although arbitrary, this minimum period aligns with traditional definitions of chronic pain in numerous clinical trials, health statistics, and temporal cutoffs for other chronic diseases.
ICD-11 separates pain into two distinct categories: Chronic Primary Pain and Chronic Secondary Pain. The term “chronic primary pain” includes long-term conditions linked to chronic pain, even when the underlying cause is not readily apparent. The ICD abandons the classification of unexplainable pain as somatic symptom disorder, which suggests mental illness. Nevertheless, positive psychiatric criteria should be used to diagnose mental disorders, rather than simply because no other medical explanation can be found.
- Categories of Chronic Primary Pain
- Chronic Primary Pain [Code: MG30.0Z]
- Chronic Widespread Pain [Code: MG30.01]
- Chronic Primary Visceral Pain [Code: MG30.00]
- Chronic Primary Musculoskeletal Pain [Code: MG30.02]
- Chronic Primary Headache or Orofacial Pain [Code: MG30.03]
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome [Code: MG30.04]
ICD-11 New Features Benefiting the Classification of Chronic Pain
One of ICD-11’s new features is the multiple parenting of diagnostic codes. When equally valid diagnostic mappings overlap, a code may also appear in a secondary ancestry even when embedded in a primary line (ancestry) of higher-order codes.
The idea of multiple parenting makes it easier to classify painful diseases in addition to chronic pain, which may be attributed to anatomically or etiologically defined disease categories.
The ability to use extension codes to record the intensity of pain, its temporal aspects, and the presence of psychological or social variables is another novel feature that enhances the documentation of painful diseases in the ICD-11.
The Impact of the ICD-11
Despite being a symptom, chronic pain necessitates diagnostic assessment and treatment that demands the ICD to include a systematic classification of diseases linked to persistent and recurrent pain.
How does this new system affect those who suffer from chronic pain issues? Physicians recognize that their list of medical problems should be more accurate thanks to the new coding style. More precise pain diagnoses could also make it easier for insurance companies to approve routine and specialist pain treatment and reduce denials.
Disclaimer
GulfPhysio.com and all of its content are for informational purposes only. All information is believed to be accurate at the time of posting and should NOT be taken as professional medical advice. Please seek a medical professional in the event of pain or injury.
Want to learn more about health, pain management, and disease? Then read our articles “Fibromyalgia And Myofascial Pain Syndrome | What’s The Difference?” and “Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) – What Is It? Causes And Treatments”.
