2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code J38.5Laryngeal spasm

ICD-10-CM Codes›J00–J99›J30-J39›J38

ICD-10-CM J38.5
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

J38.5 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for laryngeal spasm. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 154 through 156. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Other specified and unspecified upper respiratory disease.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
J38.5
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Laryngeal spasm
Short Description
Laryngeal spasm
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
J38
Diseases of vocal cords and larynx, not elsewhere classified

Code Classification

ChapterJ00–J99Diseases of the respiratory system
SectionJ30-J39Other diseases of upper respiratory tract
CategoryJ38Diseases of vocal cords and larynx, not elsewhere classified
This CodeJ38.5Laryngeal spasm

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Laryngeal spasm
  • Laryngismus
  • Laryngotracheobronchitis
  • Recurrent croup

Tabular List NotesGuidance

Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.

Inclusion Terms

  • Laryngismus (stridulus)

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Asthma, asthmatic(bronchial) (catarrh) (spasmodic)
      • Millar's (laryngismus stridulus)
    • Asthma, asthmatic(bronchial) (catarrh) (spasmodic)
      • Wichmann's (laryngismus stridulus)
    • Croup, croupous(catarrhal) (infectious) (inflammatory) (nondiphtheritic)
      • false
    • Croup, croupous(catarrhal) (infectious) (inflammatory) (nondiphtheritic)
      • spasmodic
    • Croup, croupous(catarrhal) (infectious) (inflammatory) (nondiphtheritic)
      • stridulous
    • False
      • croup
    • Laryngismus(stridulus)
    • Laryngospasm
    • Laryngotracheitis(acute) (Infectional) (infective) (viral)
      • spasmodic
    • Laryngotracheitis(acute) (Infectional) (infective) (viral)
      • stridulous
    • Millar's asthma
    • Obstruction, obstructed, obstructive
      • airway
        • due to
          • laryngospasm
    • Pseudocroup
    • Spasm(s), spastic, spasticity
      • glottis
    • Spasm(s), spastic, spasticity
      • glottis
        • reflex through recurrent laryngeal nerve
    • Spasm(s), spastic, spasticity
      • larynx, laryngeal
    • Wichman's asthma

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR RSP007
Other specified and unspecified upper respiratory disease
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Laryngismus

    a disorder in which the adductor muscles of the vocal cords exhibit increased activity leading to laryngeal spasm. laryngismus causes closure of the vocal folds and airflow obstruction during inspiration.

Patient EducationClinical

Throat Disorders

Your throat is a tube that carries food to your esophagus and air to your windpipe and larynx. The technical name for your throat is the pharynx.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert J38.5 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
478.75 Laryngeal spasm
Exact Match The mapping is direct, with no qualifiers.

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 J38.5Overview

Is J38.5 (Diseases of vocal cords and larynx, not elsewhere classified) a billable code?

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

What MS-DRG does J38.5 group to?

When laryngeal spasm is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 154, 155, 156, with relative weights from 0.6911 to 1.5635 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of J38.5?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, laryngeal spasm converts to ICD-9-CM 478.75 (laryngeal spasm). The mapping is a direct match.

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.