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Coding Migraines
What is a migraine? A migraine is a headache that can cause severe pulsing or throbbing usually on one side of the head. It can be associated with nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to sound or light. Migraine headaches can last up to several hours, even days for some patients. Migraines can have warning signs. Some of these signs can include blurred vision, flashes of light, zigzag lines, or even temporary vision loss. Code selection for migraines is based on the type of migraine.
Key terms to keep in mind while coding migraines are status migrainosus and intractable. The 5th character identifies whether it is intractable or not intractable. Intractable means the migraine cannot be controlled with medication. The 6th character identifies with or without status migrainosus. Migrainosus means that the migraine has been ongoing for more than 72 hours.