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v1.0.0
ICD-10 Guide
DiagnosesPainful Swallowing

Painful Swallowing

ICD-10 Coding for Painful Swallowing(R13.10, R13.13, R13.14)

PRIMARY SPECIALTYInternal Medicine
COMPLEXITYHigh
LAST UPDATED09/15/2025
Sam Tuffun, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist | Medical Coding & Billing Contributor

Diagnosis Overview

What is Painful Swallowing?
Essential facts and insights about Painful Swallowing

Key Clinical Considerations:

  • Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
  • Odynophagia (painful swallowing)
  • Associated symptoms: sore throat, chest pain, regurgitation

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

  • Patient history of swallowing difficulties
  • Description of pain characteristics (onset, duration, severity)
  • Results of any imaging or endoscopic evaluations

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

  • Use R13.10 for unspecified dysphagia; R13.11 for oropharyngeal; R13.12 for esophageal.
  • Common errors include using the wrong code for the type of dysphagia.

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

  • Excludes conditions like esophageal cancer or strictures that may require different coding.
  • Alternative codes may include those for underlying causes of dysphagia.

Related ICD-10 Codes

Primary Codes
R13.10
Dysphagia, unspecified
R13.11
Dysphagia, oropharyngeal
R13.12
Dysphagia, esophageal
Differential Codes
R07.0
R07.0
if pain is not related to swallowing.
K21.9
K21.9
if pain is due to acid reflux.
K20.0
K20.0
if biopsy confirms eosinophilic esophagitis.

Related CPT Codes

CPT codes will be available in a future update.

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Internal Medicine

Specialty Applications

  • Adults with swallowing difficulties
  • Patients in outpatient and inpatient settings

Coding Complexity

High Complexity

This diagnosis requires careful attention to:

  • Comprehensive clinical documentation
  • Accurate code selection based on clinical criteria
  • Proper exclusion considerations
  • Specialty-specific coding guidelines

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

  • Ensure proper documentation for billing
  • Verify code specificity requirements
  • Check for any additional codes needed
  • Review payer-specific guidelines

Common Issues

  • Insufficient clinical documentation
  • Incorrect code selection
  • Missing supporting diagnoses
  • Timing and frequency documentation

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation requirements?

Document the patient's symptoms, duration, and any relevant diagnostic tests.

Billing considerations?

Ensure accurate coding based on the specific type of dysphagia and associated symptoms.