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ICD-11 and Chronic Pain

What Is ICD-11?

 

The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) is the international standard diagnostic tool for epidemiology, health management, research, and clinical purposes, as well as the international standard for reporting diseases and health conditions. The ICD allows for:

  • Recording individual health conditions at the desired level of detail. This is why it is used in many health systems to diagnose conditions and determine which treatment is received
  • Generating healthcare statistics and reimbursement information
  • Sharing and comparing health information between hospitals, regions, settings, and countries
  • Comparing data in the same country across different time periods.

The ICD is updated at regular intervals to reflect the current state of health knowledge. Experts, international societies for the medical areas and professions, patients, and their organizations are brought together by the World Health Organization (WHO) to revise the ICD. On 25 May 2019, the World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted the ICD-11, and this latest revision which came into effect on 1 January 2022. The ICD-11 is the first classification system to include a systematic representation of chronic pain, and is publicly available via the WHO website.

To learn more, please see the following materials:

 

Why ICD-11 Matters for the European Pain Community

 

The European Pain Federation EFIC supports the widespread adoption of ICD-11 across Europe, as it offers real benefits for clinicians, researchers, educators, and policy stakeholders.

Clinical Practice

  • Provides clear diagnostic criteria for different types of chronic pain.

  • Supports treatment planning based on pain mechanism and duration.

  • Encourages the biopsychosocial approach to pain management.

 

Research and Data Collection

  • Enables standardised data collection across national and international studies.

  • Facilitates comparative analysis and tracking of chronic pain trends.

  • Supports the inclusion of pain as a reportable public health issue.

 

Pain Education and Training

  • Informs EFIC’s educational activities, including the EFIC Academy and the EFIC Pain Exams.

  • Offers a standardised language to teach pain classification and coding.

  • Equips professionals with the tools needed to implement ICD-11 in everyday practice.

 

Policy and Advocacy

  • Strengthens arguments for better access to pain care and reimbursement.

  • Helps national and regional decision-makers recognize chronic pain as a major health burden.

  • Contributes to a broader understanding of pain as a disease, not just a symptom.

 

ICD-11 Classification of Chronic Pain

In ICD-11, chronic pain is classified under “MG30 – Chronic Pain”, and subdivided into seven main diagnostic categories:

ICD-11 Code Category Description
MG30.0 Chronic primary pain Pain as a disease in its own right, without a clear underlying condition (e.g. fibromyalgia, nonspecific low back pain).
MG30.1 Chronic cancer-related pain Pain caused by cancer or cancer treatment.
MG30.2 Chronic post-surgical or post-traumatic pain Pain that persists beyond normal healing after surgery or trauma.
MG30.3 Chronic neuropathic pain Pain due to a lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system.
MG30.4 Chronic secondary headache or orofacial pain Chronic pain in the head, face, or neck caused by a known condition.
MG30.5 Chronic secondary visceral pain Chronic pain related to internal organs.
MG30.6 Chronic secondary musculoskeletal pain Chronic pain related to conditions such as arthritis or spinal disorders.

These categories were developed by an international task force led by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) and officially adopted by WHO in 2019.

Implementing ICD-11 in Clinical and Academic Settings

 

ICD-11 is now available for implementation, and several European countries are integrating it into their national coding systems.

EFIC encourages healthcare professionals and educators to:

  • Explore the ICD-11 system via the WHO ICD-11 Browser.

  • Begin using ICD-11 codes in documentation where permitted.

  • Incorporate ICD-11 concepts into clinical protocols, research methodology, and educational materials.

  • Join the EFIC Academy to advance your knowledge on pain classification and assessment.

 

Recommended Resources

 

These resources offer further information, guidance, and evidence:

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