2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R29.810Facial weakness

ICD-10-CM Codes›R00–R99›R25-R29›R29

ICD-10-CM R29.810
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

R29.810 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for facial weakness. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). As a symptom code, it should not be used as a principal diagnosis once a related definitive diagnosis has been established. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Nervous system signs and symptoms.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
R29.810
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Facial weakness
Short Description
Facial weakness
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
R29.81
Other symptoms and signs involving the nervous system

Code Classification

ChapterR00–R99Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified
SectionR25-R29Symptoms and signs involving the nervous and musculoskeletal systems
CategoryR29Other symptoms and signs involving the nervous and musculoskeletal systems
This CodeR29.810Facial weakness

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Bilateral facial muscle weakness
  • Facial weakness, lower motor neurone
  • Facial weakness, upper motor neurone
  • Lower facial weakness
  • Upper facial weakness
  • Weak eye closure
  • Weakness of face muscles
  • Weakness of left facial muscle
  • Weakness of masseter muscle
  • Weakness of occipitofrontalis muscle
  • Weakness of orbicularis oculi muscle
  • Weakness of right facial muscle

Tabular List NotesGuidance

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

Inclusion Terms

  • Facial droop

Type 1 Excludes

  • Bell's palsy G51.0
  • facial weakness following cerebrovascular disease (I69. with final characters -92)

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.

    • Droop
      • facial
    • Weak, weakening, weakness(generalized)
      • facial

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR SYM010
Nervous system signs and symptoms
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Facial Injuries and Disorders

Face injuries and disorders can cause pain and affect how you look. In severe cases, they can affect sight, speech, breathing and your ability to swallow. Fractures (broken bones), especially in the bones of your nose, cheekbone and jaw, are common facial injuries.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert R29.810 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
781.94 Facial weakness
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 R29.810Overview

Is R29.810 (Other symptoms and signs involving the nervous system) a billable code?

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

Can R29.810 be a principal diagnosis?

Use it with care. This is a symptom code, so once a definitive diagnosis explaining the facial weakness is established, that condition takes the principal position instead.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of R29.810?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, facial weakness converts to ICD-9-CM 781.94 (facial weakness). 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.