ICD-10 Brings Recognition of Fibromyalgia to Health Care Industry

October 1, 2015 marks the beginning of ICD-10 for the US. Fibromyalgia will now be recognized as an official diagnosis. Until this date, doctors have typically used ICD-9 code, myalgia and myositis, unspecified (729.1). The new code integrates the muscular pain aspect of fibromyalgia but also accounts for uniqueness of this diagnosis including as restorative sleep dysfunction, fatigue, foggy thoughts. The new diagnosis code for fibromyalgia is M79.7.

Moving towards an ICD-10 code for fibromyalgia should also make winning disability cases for this easier. The new code will tract more treatment observational study treatment outcomes. So far, studies on fibromyalgia have been hampered by data also on patients with other muscular pain symptoms. Just by having the diagnosis code, it should also lead to further education about this condition. 

Physical therapy and exercise is one of the most beneficial treatments for fibromyalgia. Exercise is beneficial in reducing stress, improving strength and/or muscle imbalances, improving bone density and more. This can result in improved sleep, less pain, reduced fatigue, and better body image.

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