2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H81.10Benign paroxysmal vertigo, unspecified ear

ICD-10-CM Codes›H60–H95›H80-H83›H81

ICD-10-CM H81.10
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

H81.10 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for benign paroxysmal vertigo, unspecified ear. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Diseases of inner ear and related conditions.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
H81.10
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Benign paroxysmal vertigo, unspecified ear
Short Description
Benign paroxysmal vertigo, unspecified ear
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
H81.1
Benign paroxysmal vertigo

Code Classification

ChapterH60–H95Diseases of the ear and mastoid process
SectionH80-H83Diseases of inner ear
CategoryH81Disorders of vestibular function
This CodeH81.10Benign paroxysmal vertigo, unspecified ear

Quality Payment Program MeasuresBilling

Medicare quality measures that can apply when H81.10 is part of the patient record.

Referral for Otologic Evaluation for Patients with Acute or Chronic Dizziness

High Priority: YES

Measure Type: Process

Submission Methods: Claims, Registry

Description: Percentage of patients aged birth and older referred to a physician (preferably a physician specially trained in disorders of the ear) for an otologic evaluation subsequent to an audiologic evaluation after presenting with acute or chronic dizziness.

View Measure

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
  • Benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood
  • Benign positional paroxysmal vertigo lateral canal
  • Benign positional paroxysmal vertigo posterior canal
  • Benign recurrent vertigo
  • Horizontal vertigo
  • Intermittent vertigo
  • Jerk nystagmus
  • Nystagmus due to benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
  • Paroxysmal vertigo
  • Peripheral positional vertigo
  • Peripheral vestibular nystagmus
  • Positional vertigo
  • Vertical vertigo
  • Vertigo produced by neck hyperextension

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR EAR003
Diseases of inner ear and related conditions
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

    idiopathic recurrent vertigo associated with positional nystagmus. it is associated with a vestibular loss without other neurological or auditory signs. unlike in labyrinthitis and vestibular neuronitis, inflammation in the ear is not observed.

Patient EducationClinical

Dizziness and Vertigo

When you're dizzy, you may feel lightheaded, woozy, or disoriented. If you feel like you or the room are spinning, you have vertigo. These feelings may make you lose your balance.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert H81.10 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
386.11 Benign parxysmal vertigo
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About H81.10Overview

Is H81.10 (Benign paroxysmal vertigo) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report benign paroxysmal vertigo, unspecified ear on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of H81.10?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, benign paroxysmal vertigo, unspecified ear converts to ICD-9-CM 386.11 (benign parxysmal vertigo). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.