M47.817 Clinical Information
If a patient visits you for a consultation, and during your discussion, they talk about how painful their lower back is, then there might be a chance that they are dealing with spondylosis.
In order to better determine this possibility, you have to ask them to be more specific with what they are feeling and experiencing. Is their lower back numb? Can the same be said when discussing their legs, feet, and toes? Do they feel pain in their buttocks area? Do they feel grinding sensations in their lower back whenever they stand up or sit down?
If so, then it's likely that they have spondylosis. Before you diagnose them with spondylosis, it's best to have them undergo physical examinations and imaging tests to properly confirm it.
In the case of this ICD code, the patient has spondylosis in the lumbosacral region, but they don't have the following:
- Myelopathy - a type of spinal condition in which the spine is injured due to the severe compression that's likely caused by problems such as spinal trauma or disc degeneration.
- Radiculopathy - a type of condition where the nerve roots of the, in this context, the lumbosacral area, are damaged or injured due to similar conditions as myelopathy.
The treatment that the patient will receive will depend on the severity of the spondylosis. If it's not adverse, they can simply rest, take medication, and attend physical therapy to slowly restore themselves to a better state. If the spondylosis is severe, then surgery might be a viable option. Again, in the context of this ICD code, the case should be mild.
