M25.542 (Pain in joints of left hand) compared with M25.549 (Pain in joints of unspecified hand), from the official CMS tabular data. M25.542 and M25.549 code the same condition on opposite sides. MedCoder-derived
Same condition; these differ only in which side is documented.
These codes share a category and title and differ only in the side affected. The documentation decides which applies, and a bilateral code is reported only where the code set provides one.
Source: ICD-10-CM tabular list (laterality variant derived from the code title)
Same condition, opposite side. M25.542 and M25.549 name the same condition on opposite sides of the body.
Same category and title, differing only in which side is affected — the documentation decides which one applies, and a bilateral code is reported only where the code set provides one.
| M25.542Pain in joints of left hand | M25.549Pain in joints of unspecified hand | |
|---|---|---|
| Billing status | Billable | Billable |
| Classification | M00-M99 — Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue | M00-M99 — Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue |
| Definition | Pain in joints of left hand is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (M25.542). | Pain in joints of unspecified hand is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (M25.549). |
| Includes | — | Pain in joints of hand NOS |
Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources