M51 ICD-10-CA category: Other intervertebral disc disorders
M51 isn’t a code on its own. Choose one of the 7 codes beneath it, the one the documentation supports.
Official description
M51Other intervertebral disc disorders
ICD-10-CA · Canada
Codes in M51
M51 isn’t a code on its own. Open the code that matches what the note documents.
M51.0Lumbar and other intervertebral disc disorders with myelopathyM51.1Lumbar and other intervertebral disc disorders with radiculopathyM51.2Other specified intervertebral disc displacementM51.3Other specified intervertebral disc degenerationM51.4Schmorl's nodesM51.8Other specified intervertebral disc disordersM51.9Intervertebral disc disorder, unspecifiedNotes for M51
As CIHI prints them, with any note M51 takes from the headings above it.
Includes
- Thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral disc disorders
Excludes
Conditions classified elsewhere.
- Current injury - see injury of spine by body regiondiscitis NOS (M46.4)From M50-M54 Other dorsopathies
- Certain:• conditions originating in the perinatal period (P00-P96)• disorders of the temporomandibular joint (K07.6)• infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)compartment syndrome (T79.6)complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O99)congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E90)injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T98)neoplasms (C00-D48)symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R99)From Chapter 13: Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99)
Note
- The following fifth characters represent the following sites of involvement:0 Multiple sites1 Shoulder region: clavical , scapula — joint acromioclavicular, glenohumeral, sternoclavicular2 Upper arm: humerus — elbow joint,3 Forearm: radius , ulna — wrist joint,4 Hand: carpus, fingers, metacarpus — joints between these bones,5 Pelvic region and thigh: buttock , femur , pelvis — joint hip , sacroiliac6 Lower leg: fibula , tibia — knee joint7 Ankle and foot: metatarsus, tarsus, toes — other joints in foot8 Other:head neck ribs skull trunk vertebral column9 Site unspecifiedFrom Chapter 13: Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99)
Where M51 sits
- 1ChapterChapter 13: Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99)
- 2Block M40-M54Dorsopathies
- 3Block M50-M54Other dorsopathies
- 4Category M51Other intervertebral disc disorders
Source and release
- Data release
- ICD-10-CA · FY 2026–2027
- Effective date
- Apr 1, 2026
- Publisher
- CIHI
This page is built from the ICD-10-CA catalog that Vero Codes reads when it suggests codes: Canadian Institute for Health Information’s FY 2026–2027 release, imported from the publisher’s file and checked against it. The description, notes and structured data come from the same record.
Frequently asked questions
Is M51 a valid ICD-10-CA code?
No. M51 (Other intervertebral disc disorders) is a category heading in CIHI’s ICD-10-CA FY 2026–2027 release. It holds 7 codes; record the one the documentation supports.
Where is M51 in ICD-10-CA?
M51 sits under M50-M54 Other dorsopathies, within M40-M54 Dorsopathies, within Chapter 13: Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99).
What coding notes apply to M51?
ICD-10-CA lists Includes, Excludes, Note notes for M51, including those from the headings it sits under. They are listed on this page with where each one comes from.
Which ICD-10-CA release does this page use?
It uses CIHI’s FY 2026–2027 release, in effect from Apr 1, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027. It is a reference: confirm the code against the current list and the payer’s rules before you submit it.