Epistaxis ICD-10-CM Codes
Read this short guide to learn about Epistaxis ICD codes you can use.
Fact Checked by Nate Lacson.
What Epistaxis ICD codes can I use?
If you’re looking for Epistaxis ICD codes to use, only one is meant for it, and that’s R04.0 - Epistaxis. This is the only ICD-10 code that mentions Epistaxis in its name. It’s intended to be used on patients confirmed to have nosebleeds.
Note that this ICD-10 code is not meant to be used as a principal diagnosis. Nosebleeds might be a symptom of an underlying problem, so you’ll have to identify what this problem is and use a specific ICD-10 code that corresponds to the problem.
This ICD-10 code will serve as support for the principal diagnosis and will provide an explanation of the patient’s health status and what they’re experiencing. In the case of this ICD-10 code, the patient’s underlying condition is causing nosebleeds.
Is this lone Epistaxis ICD code billable?
Yes. This Epistaxis ICD-10 code is valid and billable. It’s not valid as a principal diagnosis, but it is helpful in general.
Clinical Information
Epistaxis is the medical term for nosebleeds. Our noses have tiny blood vessels. If these blood vessels become dry or irritated, they can easily get injured or may break, and when these blood vessels break, blood will start to flow and drip from the nose, but usually on just one nostril.
Nosebleeds can happen out of the blue, which makes it annoying, especially if it happens while you’re doing something important. More often than not, nosebleeds aren’t a cause for concern, but it wouldn’t hurt to get checked for it because it’s still possible that something is causing it, especially if it’s happening frequently and if the bleeding is heavy.
Nosebleeds can either be Anterior or Posterior. Anterior Nosebleeds are the most common type. This occurs when the capillaries and small blood vessels near the septum break. On the other hand, Posterior Nosebleeds are characterized by heavy bleeding because they’re caused by large blood vessels at the back of the nose popping. This blood can drip down the throat, too, which can cause nausea. If a person has a Posterior Nosebleed, they should get checked immediately.
Synonyms Include:
- Anterior epistaxis
- Posterior epistaxis
- Bleeding from nose
- Blood in the nasal cavity
- Evidence of recent epistaxis
- Maternal perinatal epistaxis
- Post-surgical epistaxis
- Recurrent bleeding of the nose
- Traumatic epistaxis
Commonly asked questions
Here are some of the most common causes of Epistaxis:
- Sneezing a lot and with force because of colds or sinusitis
- Inserting something solid into the nostril
- Allergic rhinitis
- Aspirin
- NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs)
- Warfarin
- Cocaine and similar recreational/illegal drugs that need to be snorted
- Smoking
- High-altitude areas
It’s best to see a doctor if your nosebleeds are frequent. It’s also best to go if you have anemia-related symptoms like pale skin and weakness. Other reasons include:
- If the bleeding doesn’t stop despite using blood-thinning medication,
- If a nosebleed occurs after taking a newly prescribed medicine,
- If you start to have nosebleeds alongside the emergence of bruising all around your body.
It is rarely fatal. Statistics show that only 4 out of every 2.4 million deaths in the United States of America are caused by nosebleeds.
