R29.0 ICD-10-CM Code: Tetany
Billing Status: YES. This is a valid, specific, and billable ICD-10-CM reference.
Coding at a Glance
- Tabular directives
- 1 inclusion term · 4 Excludes1
Inpatient Payment Groups (MS-DRG)
Potential MS-DRG participation — not a DRG assignment.
MS-DRGs this diagnosis helps define, as principal or secondary, per the CMS ICD-10-CM/PCS MS-DRG Definitions Manual v43, Appendix B.
- MS-DRG 640 — MISCELLANEOUS DISORDERS OF NUTRITION, METABOLISM, FLUIDS AND ELECTROLYTES WITH MCC (MDC 10)
- MS-DRG 641 — MISCELLANEOUS DISORDERS OF NUTRITION, METABOLISM, FLUIDS AND ELECTROLYTES WITHOUT MCC (MDC 10)
- MS-DRG 791 — PREMATURITY WITH MAJOR PROBLEMS (MDC 15)
- MS-DRG 793 — FULL TERM NEONATE WITH MAJOR PROBLEMS (MDC 15)
A diagnosis appearing in a group's logic does not by itself determine the DRG assigned to a stay; the grouper uses the full claim.
Coding instructions
Official Tabular Instructional Notes: the inclusion, exclusion and sequencing notes published for R29.0 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list, quoted as published.
Source: CMS/CDC — ICD-10-CM Tabular ListRelease: FY2026Effective: October 1, 2025
Inclusion Terms
Alternative terms the tabular list files under this code.
- Carpopedal spasm
Excludes1 — Not Coded Here
Conditions generally not reported together with this code (Excludes1) -- an error unless the two conditions are documented as unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).
- hysterical tetany (F44.5) Compare R29.0 vs F44.5 →
- neonatal tetany (P71.3) Compare R29.0 vs P71.3 →
- parathyroid tetany (E20.9) Compare R29.0 vs E20.9 →
- post-thyroidectomy tetany (E89.2) Compare R29.0 vs E89.2 →
Coder workflow for R29.0
MedCoder structured workflow — derived from this code’s own official record
Before you code R29.0
- Check whether an established diagnosis that explains this sign or symptom is documented. If one is, review whether the documented diagnosis changes the coding pathway: a symptom that is integral to a confirmed diagnosis is not reported separately, while one not routinely associated with it may be. Signs and symptoms are reported when no definitive diagnosis is established (Guidelines I.B.4, I.B.5, I.B.6, I.C.18.b).
- Check the Excludes1 note: if the documentation supports a condition named there, do not simply proceed with R29.0. Excludes1 conditions are not reported together with this code unless the record shows they are unrelated (Guidelines I.A.12.a).
Choose the right path
- Is an established diagnosis that explains this sign or symptom documented?
Yes → Review whether the documented diagnosis changes the coding pathway: a symptom integral to it is not reported separately.
No → Continue — the sign or symptom code stands when no definitive diagnosis is established. - Does the documentation support a condition named in R29.0’s Excludes1 note?
Yes → Do not simply proceed: review the excluded code. Both are reported only when the record shows the two conditions are unrelated.
No → Continue.
Consider R29.0. Then confirm the code is valid for the date of service in the Verify section.
Documentation check
- The provider’s diagnostic statement
- Codes are assigned from the provider’s documented diagnosis, not from clinical criteria, test values or a medication list (Guidelines I.A.19).
Official instructions as workflow
Excludes1 — check before selecting R29.0(4 notes)
Coding workflow: If the documentation supports a condition named in this note, do not simply proceed with R29.0: the two are not reported together. The one exception is when the record shows the two conditions are unrelated to each other.
CompareF44.5, P71.3, E20.9, E89.2
See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.12.a
Coding decision scenarios
Pattern scenarios for this code’s structure — decision rules, not clinical cases
Documentation: The sign or symptom is documented, and the same record establishes a diagnosis that routinely includes it.
Coding question: Is R29.0 reported in addition to the diagnosis?
Path: Review the documented diagnosis and whether the classification treats this finding as integral to it.
Reason: Signs and symptoms integral to a confirmed diagnosis are not coded separately; those not routinely associated with it may be reported when present (Guidelines I.B.5, I.B.6, I.C.18.b).
Documentation: Both the condition R29.0 describes and a condition named in its Excludes1 note are documented for the same encounter.
Coding question: Can both codes be reported?
Path: Review the Excludes1 note and the excluded code, and look for a provider statement on whether the two conditions are related.
Reason: Excludes1 means the two are not coded together; the exception is when the record shows the conditions are unrelated to each other (Guidelines I.A.12.a).
Every row is derived from this code’s own record — its title, tabular notes, 7th-character family and same-category siblings — with fixed MedCoder wording; nothing is inferred about a patient. The official notes and guideline text are in the sections each row links to, and they control.
Code Overview
MedCoder summary Summary composed by MedCoder from this code's official ICD-10-CM record. The tabular instructional notes themselves appear verbatim below.
Indexed Clinical Terms (7)
Official source data — entries quoted as published, in the Index’s own lookup phrasing
Clinical term phrases from the official ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries that map to this code. These are alphabetic-index entries shown as the Index writes them — lookup phrasing, not necessarily the wording of a final diagnosis.
Verify Before Coding
- CC as a secondary diagnosis (FY2026). Can raise the stay's MS-DRG severity tier.
From the code registry, the Medicare Code Editor, and the MS-DRG Definitions Manual. Check it against a full claim in Claim Check.
Relationships & Classification
MedCoder structured relationships — computed from published CMS and AHRQ datasets
Other codes that name R29.0 or its code family, from the CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes. Tabular-note edges are stored at the code family level that carries each note.
Referenced by 1 Excludes1 note: E20 — Hypoparathyroidism.
These codes’ tabular lists mark this diagnosis as mutually exclusive — not reported together unless the conditions are documented as unrelated.
Referenced by 1 Excludes2 note: R25.2 — Cramp and spasm.
These codes’ tabular lists name this diagnosis as distinct — both may be reported when both are documented.
MS-DRG Grouper Relationships (FY2026)
Potential MS-DRG participation — not a DRG assignment.
FY2026 MS-DRG: CC — Complication or Comorbidity. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, this code raises the stay's MS-DRG severity tier — except when the principal diagnosis is one of 100 clinically related codes on its CMS exclusion list.
Named in the grouper logic of 4 MS-DRGs: DRG 640 (MDC 10), DRG 641 (MDC 10), DRG 791 (MDC 15), DRG 793 (MDC 15).
From the CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendices B and C). Actual DRG assignment depends on the complete claim.
Clinical classification (AHRQ CCSR):SYM010 — Nervous system signs and symptoms (default).
Clinical Classifications Software Refined (CCSR) for ICD-10-CM Diagnoses. Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Related Codes
Same clinical process (MS-DRG)
Acts as CC — raises the severity of other admissions. CMS groups these diagnoses into one MS-DRG principal-diagnosis exclusion process — a CC/MCC on this list never raises severity when the principal diagnosis is also on it.
G89.11 — Acute pain due to trauma, G89.12 — Acute post-thoracotomy pain, G89.18 — Other acute postprocedural pain, G89.21 — Chronic pain due to trauma, G89.22 — Chronic post-thoracotomy pain, G89.28 — Other chronic postprocedural pain, G89.29 — Other chronic pain, G89.3 — Neoplasm related pain (acute) (chronic), G89.4 — Chronic pain syndrome, G90.3 — Multi-system degeneration of the autonomic nervous system, R41.0 — Disorientation, unspecified, R41.1 — Anterograde amnesia, R41.2 — Retrograde amnesia, R41.3 — Other amnesia, R41.82 — Altered mental status, unspecified, R41.9 — Unspecified symptoms and signs involving cognitive functions and awareness, R44.8 — Other symptoms and signs involving general sensations and perceptions, R44.9 — Unspecified symptoms and signs involving general sensations and perceptions, R45.83 — Excessive crying of child, adolescent or adult, R45.84 — Anhedonia, +79 more
Same clinical category (CCSR)
AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software groups these diagnoses under the same clinical category (Nervous system signs and symptoms).
R25.9 — Unspecified abnormal involuntary movements, R26.0 — Ataxic gait, R26.1 — Paralytic gait, R26.2 — Difficulty in walking, not elsewhere classified, R26.81 — Unsteadiness on feet, R26.89 — Other abnormalities of gait and mobility, R26.9 — Unspecified abnormalities of gait and mobility, R27.0 — Ataxia, unspecified, R27.8 — Other lack of coordination, R27.9 — Unspecified lack of coordination, R29.1 — Meningismus, R29.2 — Abnormal reflex, R29.5 — Transient paralysis, R29.810 — Facial weakness, R29.818 — Other symptoms and signs involving the nervous system, R29.90 — Unspecified symptoms and signs involving the nervous system, R40.2110 — Coma scale, eyes open, never, unspecified time, R40.2111 — Coma scale, eyes open, never, in the field [EMT or ambulance], R40.2112 — Coma scale, eyes open, never, at arrival to emergency department, R40.2113 — Coma scale, eyes open, never, at hospital admission, +138 more
Same Index main term, other category
The ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries files this code under the main terms “Tetany”, “Diathesis”; these codes share that main term but sit in a different category of the Tabular List.
D69.9 — Hemorrhagic condition, unspecified (bleeding), E20.9 — Hypoparathyroidism, unspecified (parathyroid), E55.0 — Rickets, active (associated with rickets), E72.00 — Disorders of amino-acid transport, unspecified (cystine), E87.3 — Alkalosis (alkalosis), E89.2 — Postprocedural hypoparathyroidism (postoperative), F44.5 — Conversion disorder with seizures or convulsions (functional), F45.8 — Other somatoform disorders (hyperpnea, psychogenic), P53 — Hemorrhagic disease of newborn (hemorrhagic, newborn NEC), P71.3 — Neonatal tetany without calcium or magnesium deficiency (neonatal), R06.4 — Hyperventilation (hyperpnea)
Contextual Map
Every relationship of R29.0 in one view: hierarchy, official tabular instructions in both directions, clinical classification, risk adjustment, MS-DRG participation, index terms and change history — each edge carrying the CMS source it derives from.
Run R29.0 with these 6 related codes in Claim Check
Hierarchy
- R00-R99 — Chapter 18: Symptoms, Signs and Abnormal Clinical and Laboratory Findings, Not Elsewhere Classified (R00-R99) (R00-R99)[Hierarchy]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- R25-R29 — Symptoms and signs involving the nervous and musculoskeletal systems[Hierarchy]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
Excludes1
- E20.9 — Hypoparathyroidism, unspecified[Excludes1]: “parathyroid tetany (E20.9)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
- E89.2 — Postprocedural hypoparathyroidism[Excludes1]: “post-thyroidectomy tetany (E89.2)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
- F44.5 — Conversion disorder with seizures or convulsions[Excludes1]: “hysterical tetany (F44.5)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
- P71.3 — Neonatal tetany without calcium or magnesium deficiency[Excludes1]: “neonatal tetany (P71.3)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
Referenced by Excludes1 notes
- E20 — Hypoparathyroidism[Excludes1]: “tetany NOS (R29.0)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
Referenced by Excludes2 notes
- R25.2 — Cramp and spasm[Excludes2]: “carpopedal spasm (R29.0)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
Clinical classification (CCSR)
- SYM010 — Nervous system signs and symptoms[CCSR]— AHRQ CCSR for ICD-10-CM Diagnoses (HCUP)
MS-DRG Grouper
- CC — Complication or Comorbidity [MS-DRG severity]: “As a secondary diagnosis this code can raise the stay's MS-DRG severity tier (CC).”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendix C) · FY2026
- DRG 640 — MISCELLANEOUS DISORDERS OF NUTRITION, METABOLISM, FLUIDS AND ELECTROLYTES WITH MCC[MS-DRG]: “MISCELLANEOUS DISORDERS OF NUTRITION, METABOLISM, FLUIDS AND ELECTROLYTES WITH MCC (MDC 10)”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendix B) · FY2026
- DRG 641 — MISCELLANEOUS DISORDERS OF NUTRITION, METABOLISM, FLUIDS AND ELECTROLYTES WITHOUT MCC[MS-DRG]: “MISCELLANEOUS DISORDERS OF NUTRITION, METABOLISM, FLUIDS AND ELECTROLYTES WITHOUT MCC (MDC 10)”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendix B) · FY2026
- DRG 791 — PREMATURITY WITH MAJOR PROBLEMS[MS-DRG]: “PREMATURITY WITH MAJOR PROBLEMS (MDC 15)”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendix B) · FY2026
- DRG 793 — FULL TERM NEONATE WITH MAJOR PROBLEMS[MS-DRG]: “FULL TERM NEONATE WITH MAJOR PROBLEMS (MDC 15)”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendix B) · FY2026
MDC crossing
- MDC 10 — Endocrine, Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases and Disorders[MDC crossing]: “Endocrine, Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases and Disorders — the grouper's crossing between diagnoses and procedures: a principal diagnosis sets the MDC, and same-MDC procedures move the stay to its surgical DRGs. 5,008 same-MDC procedures group here; browse them on the MDC page.”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual · FY2026
- MDC 15 — Newborns and Other Neonates with Conditions Originating in Perinatal Period[MDC crossing]: “Newborns and Other Neonates with Conditions Originating in Perinatal Period — the grouper's crossing between diagnoses and procedures: a principal diagnosis sets the MDC, and same-MDC procedures move the stay to its surgical DRGs.”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual · FY2026
Index entries
- Diathesis, spasmophilic[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
- Pseudotetany[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
- Syndrome, magnesium-deficiency[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
- Tetany (due to)[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
- Tetany (due to), convulsions[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
- Tetany (due to), hyperkinetic[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
- Tetany (due to), pseudotetany[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
Nearest codes (40)
- R29 — Other symptoms and signs involving the nervous and musculoskeletal systems[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- R29.1 — Meningismus[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- R29.2 — Abnormal reflex[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- R29.3 — Abnormal posture[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- R29.4 — Clicking hip[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- R29.5 — Transient paralysis[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- R29.6 — Repeated falls[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- R29.7 — National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- and 32 more
Change history
- FY2016 — In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption [Change history]— CMS release files (code change ledger) · icd10cm-fy2016
Sources for this page
Codes, titles, notes, index terms and mappings on this page are transcribed from the datasets below. Relationships MedCoder computed and text MedCoder wrote are labelled where they appear.
- Code, title, tabular notes and index terms Official source data
- CMS/CDC ICD-10-CM FY2026 tabular list, index and tables, effective October 1, 2025 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
- Claim edits Official source data
- CMS Definitions of Medicare Code Edits — v43.1 (April 2026) Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
- Inpatient payment groups Official source data
- CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (incl. Appendix B diagnosis index, Appendix C CC/MCC list, Appendix E procedure index) and IPPS Final Rule tables — v43 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
- Change history and date-of-service validity Official source data
- CMS ICD-10-CM release addenda, ingested release by release into the change ledger Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
- Comparisons, relationships and the contextual map MedCoder structured relationship
- Computed by MedCoder from the tabular notes and tables above; every derived relationship is marked as derived where it appears
- Summary and FAQ answers MedCoder explanation
- Written by MedCoder to explain the sources above: drafted with AI assistance, checked by a person against the release files, and labelled as MedCoder text where it appears. Not official text.
Labels on this page: Official source data · MedCoder structured relationship · MedCoder explanation. How to read the labels · All data sources and release dates
Cite this page
Reference this page in a research guide, syllabus or article. The release is included because code content changes each year.
MedCoder.ai. "R29.0 — Tetany." ICD-10-CM FY2026. https://medcoder.ai/icd10/code/r29.0-tetany
Change history
- FY2016 — October 1, 2015In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoptionTetany
No changes since FY2016 — additions, deletions, description changes and billable-status changes are tracked through FY2027 (effective October 1, 2026), and none are recorded for this code. Note changes are tracked from FY2027 only.
Nearest Codes in This Family
Official ICD-10-CM classifications closest to R29.0 in its code family, with their registry titles.
- R29 — Other symptoms and signs involving the nervous and musculoskeletal systems
- R29.1 — Meningismus
- R29.2 — Abnormal reflex
- R29.3 — Abnormal posture
- R29.4 — Clicking hip
- R29.5 — Transient paralysis
- R29.6 — Repeated falls
- R29.7 — National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score
- R29.70 — NIHSS score 0-9
- R29.700 — NIHSS score 0