G44.8Other specified headache syndromes

G44.8 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for other specified headache syndromes. It belongs to category G44 (other headache syndromes), block G40-G47 (episodic and paroxysmal disorders) and chapter 6 (diseases of the nervous system). It is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself; one of its 7 subcodes must be used instead.

Within G44, choose G44.8 (Other specified headache syndromes) only when documentation doesn't support a more specific option: cluster headaches and other trigeminal autonomic cephalgias (TAC) (G44.0), vascular headache, not elsewhere classified (G44.1), tension-type headache (G44.2), post-traumatic headache (G44.3), drug-induced headache, not elsewhere classified (G44.4) and complicated headache syndromes (G44.5).

To report this condition, pick the subcode that matches the documentation: G44.81 (headache), G44.82 (activity), G44.83 (headache), G44.84 (headache), G44.85 (headache), G44.86 (headache) and G44.89 (syndrome).

The conditions in its Excludes2 note aren't part of G44.8, but may be coded alongside it if the patient has both: headache with orthostatic or positional component, not elsewhere classified (R51.0).

It has been part of ICD-10-CM since the code set took effect on October 1, 2015 and hasn't changed since.