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G89.1 vs N23

G89.1 (Acute pain, not elsewhere classified) compared with N23 (Unspecified renal colic), from the official CMS tabular data.

Current data releases:ICD-10-CM FY2027 · ICD-10-PCS FY2027 · HCPCS October 2026 · MS-DRG v44 · Medicare Code Editor v44.0 · NCCI PTP Q4 2026 · MUE Q4 2026 · NCD code lists 2026-01 · LCD export September 28, 2026 · All releases and sources

Summary

These codes can be reported together when both conditions are documented, because G89.1 lists N23 under Excludes2, which marks them as distinct conditions.

Official rule
What is different?

The conditions named, billing status and chapter.G89.1 is “Acute pain, not elsewhere classified”; N23 is “Unspecified renal colic”. G89.1 is a non-billable header; N23 is billable. G89.1 sits in G00-G99 — Diseases of the Nervous System (G00-G99); N23 in N00-N99 — Diseases of the Genitourinary System (N00-N99).

Registry fact

Can these codes be reported together?

Yes, when both are documented.G89.1 lists N23 under Excludes2: “renal colic (N23)”. Excludes2 marks distinct conditions that may both be reported when both are documented.

Official ruleGuide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2

Is there an Excludes1 relationship?

None.Neither entry carries an Excludes1 note that names the other code. G89.1 carries 3 Excludes1 notes covering other codes; the side-by-side table quotes them.

Official rule

Is there an Excludes2 relationship?

Yes.G89.1’s tabular entry: “renal colic (N23)”. The note covers N23.

Official ruleGuide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2

Is one more specific?

Not comparable.The codes sit in different categories; specificity is only comparable within one category.

Is one a parent or header code?

One is a header.G89.1 is a non-billable header, but N23 is not one of its subdivisions.

Registry fact

Are there sequencing instructions?

None.Neither entry carries a Code First or Use Additional Code note that names the other.

Official rule

Are there other coding relationships?

None found.No laterality, encounter-phase, Table of Neoplasms, Table of Drugs and Chemicals, or history-versus-active-disease relationship links these codes.

MedCoder-derived

Official rule: a tabular instructional note or a section of the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, quoted as published. Registry fact: the codes’ own published attributes (titles, billable status, position in the hierarchy, code set). MedCoder-derived: a reading MedCoder computes from those facts; it is not itself a rule. How to read the labels

Can these codes be reported together?

Informational

Excludes2 relationship

G89.1
Acute pain, not elsewhere classified
↔
N23
Unspecified renal colic

What we found

Yes, when both are documented.G89.1 carries an Excludes2 note covering N23: “renal colic (N23)”

Excludes2 marks distinct conditions — both may be reported when both are documented.

What to review

Report both only when the documentation supports both conditions; otherwise report the one documented.

Guide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2Check these on a claim

Why it matters

An Excludes2 note means the excluded condition is not part of the code above it, but a patient can have both. Report both when both are documented.

Source / rule

CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes

Official guidance behind these answers

  • Section I.A.12.b — Excludes2 · applies to: Excludes2

    A type 2 Excludes note represents “Not included here.” An excludes2 note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the code, but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When an Excludes2 note appears under a code, it is acceptable to use both the code and the excluded code together, when appropriate.

    ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines FY2027

Quoted from the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting in effect for the release shown. The tabular notes above are the code-level instruction; these sections are the convention that says how such a note is applied. Source document (CMS PDF) · Release and checksum

Side by side

Similar descriptions do not make codes interchangeable. The documentation and the official instructions decide which code applies.

Official descriptionDiffers
G89.1

Acute pain, not elsewhere classified

N23

Unspecified renal colic

StatusDiffers
G89.1
Non-billable header

A header is not reported on a claim; a code beneath it is.

Report instead: G89.11, G89.12, G89.18

N23
Billable
Excludes1Differs
G89.1
  • generalized pain NOS (R52)
  • pain disorders exclusively related to psychological factors (F45.41)
  • pain NOS (R52)
N23

None at this code

Excludes2Differs
G89.1
  • atypical face pain (G50.1)
  • headache syndromes (G44.-)
  • localized pain, unspecified type - code to pain by site, such as:
  • abdomen pain (R10.-)
  • back pain (M54.9)
  • breast pain (N64.4)
  • chest pain (R07.1-R07.9)
  • ear pain (H92.0-)
  • eye pain (H57.1)
  • headache (R51.9)
  • joint pain (M25.5-)
  • limb pain (M79.6-)
  • lumbar region pain (M54.5-)
  • painful urination (R30.9)
  • pelvic and perineal pain (R10.2-)
  • shoulder pain (M25.51-)
  • spine pain (M54.-)
  • throat pain (R07.0)
  • tongue pain (K14.6)
  • tooth pain (K08.8)
  • renal colic (N23)
  • migraines (G43.-)
  • myalgia (M79.1-)
  • pain from prosthetic devices, implants, and grafts (T82.84, T83.84, T84.84, T85.84-)
  • phantom limb syndrome with pain (G54.6)
  • vulvar vestibulitis (N94.810)
  • vulvodynia (N94.81-)
N23

None at this code

Code alsoDiffers
G89.1
  • related psychological factors associated with pain (F45.42)
N23

None at this code

CategoryDiffers
G89.1

G89 Pain, not elsewhere classified

N23

Is itself a category

ChapterDiffers
G89.1

G00-G99 — Diseases of the Nervous System (G00-G99)

N23

N00-N99 — Diseases of the Genitourinary System (N00-N99)

No Code first, Use additional code, Includes and 7th character note at either code.

Notes are the code’s own tabular entry, quoted as published. A note that names the other code is the one the verdict above rests on. In a row that differs, notes every code shares are dimmed.

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Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2027). A coding-rule comparison, not billing advice: payer-specific edits and medical-necessity policy are outside its scope. All data sources