What is the ICD-10 code for gout?

The ICD-10-CM code for gout is M10.9 when documented without further specification. More specific documentation changes the code — see the scenario table.

Yes — M10.9 is a billable ICD-10-CM code, but payers expect the most specific code the documentation supports.

ICD-10 Code for gout

The ICD-10-CM code for gout is M10.9 when documented without further specification. Gout, unspecified codes to M10.9. Category M10 encodes acute gout by cause — idiopathic (M10.0-) and other specified causes — and by joint site with laterality. M10.9 applies only when neither the cause nor the joint is documented.

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Symptom code vs. confirmed diagnosis

Gout is a provider-established diagnosis, often supported by joint aspiration or clinical criteria; it is not a symptom code. Assign M10.- only when gout is documented, selecting the site and laterality when the record specifies the affected joint.

Which Code Should You Use?

M10.9 ✓ Billable — Gout, unspecified

Gout, unspecified — cause and joint site not documented.

M10.00 ✓ Billable — Idiopathic gout, unspecified site

Idiopathic gout, unspecified site.

M10.011 ✓ Billable — Idiopathic gout, right shoulder

Idiopathic gout, right shoulder.

M10.012 ✓ Billable — Idiopathic gout, left shoulder

Idiopathic gout, left shoulder.

M10.019 ✓ Billable — Idiopathic gout, unspecified shoulder

Idiopathic gout, unspecified shoulder.

What to Document

The cause when documented (idiopathic versus a specified secondary cause).
The affected joint site and laterality (drives the 5th-6th characters).
The specific joint(s) involved when multiple sites are affected.

Common Documentation Pitfalls

Defaulting to M10.9 when the record documents the affected joint or the cause.
Coding joint pain as gout before the provider establishes the diagnosis.

Also Known As

Official ICD-10-CM Alphabetic Index terms that point to M10.9:

Podagra
Gout, gouty (acute) (attack) (flare)
Neuritis (rheumatoid) › gouty
Iritis › gouty

Coding Notes

M10.9 is the unspecified default. When the cause is idiopathic and the joint is documented, use the M10.0- subcategory with the appropriate site and laterality. Reserve M10.9 for records specifying neither cause nor joint.

Prevalence & Statistics

The prevalence of gout among U.S. adults in 2015–2016 was 3.9%, corresponding to an estimated 9.2 million adults. (Chen-Xu et al., Contemporary Prevalence of Gout and Hyperuricemia in the United States (NHANES 2007–2016), Arthritis & Rheumatology — via NIH PubMed Central, 2015-2016)