F44.4

HCC Category Mapping

What This Code Means

A condition where psychological stress causes physical weakness, paralysis, or loss of motor control without any neurological disease or injury.

Coding Tips

• •Specify the affected body part or limb in documentation
• •Confirm neurological testing has ruled out organic causes before assigning this code

Clinical Significance

Conversion disorder with motor symptom or deficit (functional neurological symptom disorder) involves neurological symptoms such as weakness, paralysis, abnormal movements, or gait disturbance that are incompatible with recognized neurological conditions. These symptoms are genuine and involuntary, causing significant distress and disability. Accurate diagnosis requires thorough neurological evaluation.

Documentation Requirements

• ✓One or more motor symptoms (weakness, paralysis, tremor, dystonia, abnormal gait, etc.)
• ✓Clinical findings providing evidence of incompatibility between the symptom and recognized neurological conditions (positive signs such as Hoover sign, give-way weakness, inconsistent examination)
• ✓Symptom or deficit not better explained by another medical or mental disorder
• ✓Symptom causes clinically significant distress or functional impairment
• ✓Neurological examination findings documented including positive clinical signs of functional origin
• ✓Results of diagnostic workup (MRI, EMG, EEG) ruling out structural neurological disease
• ✓Psychological stressor identified if applicable (though not required for diagnosis)

Commonly Confused Codes