B02.23

HCC Category Mapping

What This Code Means

This is nerve damage that occurs as a complication after shingles (herpes zoster), causing pain, weakness, or numbness in the affected areas. It represents ongoing nerve pain that persists even after the shingles rash has healed.

Coding Tips

• •This code should only be used when documenting nerve pain/damage that develops following a shingles infection; ensure the shingles episode has resolved before coding postherpetic polyneuropathy
• •Specify the anatomical location when possible (e.g., upper limb, lower limb, trunk) using appropriate laterality codes if the documentation supports it

Clinical Significance

Postherpetic polyneuropathy represents widespread nerve damage following herpes zoster, extending beyond the original dermatome to cause pain, weakness, and sensory changes in multiple nerve distributions. This is a more severe and diffuse complication than typical postherpetic neuralgia and may indicate viral spread along neural pathways.

Documentation Requirements

• ✓Documented history of prior herpes zoster infection with timeline
• ✓Polyneuropathy findings: multiple nerve distribution involvement beyond original dermatome
• ✓Nerve conduction study/EMG results if performed showing multi-nerve involvement
• ✓Symptom documentation: pain, numbness, weakness, distribution pattern
• ✓Distinction from single-dermatome postherpetic neuralgia (which is more common)

Commonly Confused Codes