M79.602 – Pain in left arm

Is the M79.602 billable?

Yes, M79.602 is a billable ICD-10-CM code. It can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

Clinical information

The M79.602 ICD-10-CM code  helps healthcare providers communicate the presence of arm-related soft tissue disorders to payers and clinical staff.

For accurate reimbursement, providers must ensure the pain isn't better represented by another code, especially if a more specific diagnosis is made later.

Patients may describe the left arm pain as:

• Stabbing, burning, or throbbing
• Numbness or tingling (like "pins and needles")
• Intermittent or constant discomfort
• Weakness, swelling, or limited range of motion (which may require separate coding)

While M79.602 pain identifies the location, it does not include details such as pain severity, frequency, or duration—these are documented separately in the patient's medical records.

The pain in left upper limb covered under M79.602 may be a symptom of several conditions, including:

• Soft tissue disorders (e.g., tendonitis, muscle strain)
• Nerve-related issues (e.g., cervical radiculopathy or neuropathy)
• Musculoskeletal diseases (e.g., sprains, fractures)
• Cardiovascular diseases (e.g., angina, myocardial infarction)
• Referred pain from the head, neck, or even internal organs
• Psychogenic pain linked to stress, anxiety, or mental health disorders

In some cases, pain in left arm may mimic or overlap with pain in right arm, upper limb, or even lower limb areas such as the leg, depending on the root condition.

Synonyms include:

• Left arm ache
• Pain in left upper limb
• Left upper limb pain
• Discomfort in left arm
• Left arm discomfort

Other ICD-10 codes commonly used for arm pain

• M79.601 - Pain in right arm
• M79.609 - Pain in unspecified limb
• M25.511 - Pain in right shoulder
• M25.512 - Pain in left shoulder
• M79.639 - Pain in unspecified forearm
• M79.641 - Pain in right hand
• M79.642 - Pain in left hand