Sciatica
Sciatica
M54.3 is a header (parent) code in the ICD-10-CM hierarchy. It is not billable for claim submission. Use one of the billable child codes listed below.
Billable codes in this category
Each of the codes below is billable. Choose the one that most accurately describes the patient's diagnosis.
Sciatica affecting an unspecified or undocumented side, classified under dorsopathies when laterality cannot be determined from the medical record.
Right-sided sciatica: pain radiating along the sciatic nerve pathway on the right side, from the lower back through the right buttock and down the right leg.
M54.32 captures sciatica confirmed on the left side — radiating pain along the left sciatic nerve distribution, from the lumbar spine through the buttock and down the left leg.
Inclusion & exclusion notes
Excludes 1 (mutually exclusive — never code together)
- intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbar region with lower extremity pain only (M51.361)
- intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbosacral region with lower extremity pain only (M51.371)
- lesion of sciatic nerve (G57.0)
- sciatica due to intervertebral disc disorder (M51.1-)
- sciatica with lumbago (M54.4-)