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M51.3 ICD-10-CA code: Other specified intervertebral disc degeneration

M51.3 is the ICD-10-CA code for “Other specified intervertebral disc degeneration” in CIHI’s FY 2026–2027 release, in effect from Apr 1, 2026.

Official description

M51.3

Other specified intervertebral disc degeneration

Short description: Oth spec intervertebral disc degen

ICD-10-CA · Canada · Also written M513

Index terms

Entries in CIHI’s alphabetical index that lead to M51.3. Searching the index by the condition the note names is how coders reach this code.

  • Degeneration, degenerative, intervertebral disk NEC
  • Degeneration, degenerative, intervertebral disk NEC, lumbar, lumbosacral
  • Degeneration, degenerative, intervertebral disk NEC, thoracic, thoracolumbar

Notes for M51.3

As CIHI prints them, with any note M51.3 takes from the headings above it.

Includes

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 M51.3 sits

  1. 1ChapterChapter 13: Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99)
  2. 2Block M40-M54Dorsopathies
  3. 3Block M50-M54Other dorsopathies
  4. 4Category M51Other intervertebral disc disorders
  5. 5Valid code M51.3Other specified intervertebral disc degeneration

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.

See M51.3 in the CIHI source

Frequently asked questions

What does ICD-10-CA code M51.3 mean?

M51.3 is the ICD-10-CA code for “Other specified intervertebral disc degeneration” in CIHI’s ICD-10-CA FY 2026–2027 release.

Where is M51.3 in ICD-10-CA?

M51.3 sits under M51 Other intervertebral disc disorders, within 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 M51.3?

ICD-10-CA lists Includes, Excludes, Note notes for M51.3, 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.

Codes beside M51.3

M51.0Lumbar and other intervertebral disc disorders with myelopathyM51.1Lumbar and other intervertebral disc disorders with radiculopathyM51.2Other specified intervertebral disc displacementM51.4Schmorl's nodesM51.8Other specified intervertebral disc disordersM51.9Intervertebral disc disorder, unspecified