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  6. 2024 ICD-10-CM Code R44.9
Version 2024
Billable Code
No Valid Principal Dx
Unspecified Code
Convert to ICD-9

2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R44.9

Unspecified symptoms and signs involving general sensations and perceptions

ICD-10-CM Code:
R44.9
ICD-10 Code for:
Unsp symptoms and signs w general sensations and perceptions
Is Billable?
Yes - Valid for Submission
Chronic Condition Indicator: [1]
Not chronic
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified
    (R00–R99)
    • Symptoms and signs involving cognition, perception, emotional state and behavior
      (R40-R46)
      • Other symptoms and signs involving general sensations and perceptions
        (R44)

R44.9 is a billable diagnosis code used to specify a medical diagnosis of unspecified symptoms and signs involving general sensations and perceptions. The code is valid during the current fiscal year for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions from October 01, 2023 through September 30, 2024.

Unspecified diagnosis codes like R44.9 are acceptable when clinical information is unknown or not available about a particular condition. Although a more specific code is preferable, unspecified codes should be used when such codes most accurately reflect what is known about a patient's condition. Specific diagnosis codes should not be used if not supported by the patient's medical record.

According to ICD-10-CM guidelines this code should not to be used as a principal diagnosis code when a related definitive diagnosis has been established.

Approximate Synonyms

The following clinical terms are approximate synonyms or lay terms that might be used to identify the correct diagnosis code:

  • Abnormal perception
  • Abnormal sensation
  • Hearing change
  • Hearing improved
  • Hearing symptoms
  • Hearing unchanged
  • Limited sensory perception
  • Patient condition unchanged
  • Perception AND/OR perception disturbance
  • Sensation
  • Sensory distortion
  • Sensory symptoms
  • Simulation of physical illness

Clinical Classification

Clinical Information

  • Globus Sensation

    a feeling of a lump in the throat that occurs between meals in the absence of other gastrointestinal and motility disorders (e.g., dysphagia; gastroesophageal reflux).

  • Hyperalgesia

    an increased sensation of pain or discomfort produced by minimally noxious stimuli due to damage to soft tissue containing nociceptors or injury to a peripheral nerve.

  • Hyperesthesia

    increased sensitivity to cutaneous stimulation due to a diminished threshold or an increased response to stimuli.

  • Hypesthesia

    absent or reduced sensitivity to cutaneous stimulation.

  • Phantom Limb

    perception of painful and nonpainful phantom sensations that occur following the complete or partial loss of a limb. the majority of individuals with an amputated extremity will experience the impression that the limb is still present, and in many cases, painful. (from neurol clin 1998 nov;16(4):919-36; brain 1998 sep;121(pt 9):1603-30)

  • Sensation

    the process in which specialized sensory receptor cells transduce peripheral stimuli (physical or chemical) into nerve impulses which are then transmitted to the various sensory centers in the central nervous system.

  • Sensation Disorders

    disorders of the special senses (i.e., vision; hearing; taste; and smell) or somatosensory system (i.e., afferent components of the peripheral nervous system).

  • Somatosensory Disorders

    disorders of sensory information received from superficial and deep regions of the body. the somatosensory system conveys neural impulses which pertain to proprioception, tactile sensation, thermal sensation, pressure sensation, and pain. peripheral nervous system diseases; spinal cord diseases; and brain diseases may be associated with impaired or abnormal somatic sensation.

  • Vertigo

    an illusion of movement, either of the external world revolving around the individual or of the individual revolving in space. vertigo may be associated with disorders of the inner ear (ear, inner); vestibular nerve; brainstem; or cerebral cortex. lesions in the temporal lobe and parietal lobe may be associated with focal seizures that may feature vertigo as an ictal manifestation. (from adams et al., principles of neurology, 6th ed, pp300-1)

  • Nociceptors

    peripheral afferent neurons which are sensitive to injuries or pain, usually caused by extreme thermal exposures, mechanical forces, or other noxious stimuli. their cell bodies reside in the dorsal root ganglia. their peripheral terminals (nerve endings) innervate target tissues and transduce noxious stimuli via axons to the central nervous system.

Index to Diseases and Injuries References

The following annotation back-references for this diagnosis code are found in the injuries and diseases index. The Index to Diseases and Injuries is an alphabetical listing of medical terms, with each term mapped to one or more ICD-10-CM code(s).

Convert R44.9 to ICD-9-CM

  • ICD-9-CM Code: 799.89 - Ill-define condition NEC
    Approximate Flag - The approximate mapping means there is not an exact match between the ICD-10 and ICD-9 codes and the mapped code is not a precise representation of the original code.

Patient Education


Psychotic Disorders

Psychotic disorders are severe mental disorders that cause abnormal thinking and perceptions. People with psychoses lose touch with reality. Two of the main symptoms are delusions and hallucinations. Delusions are false beliefs, such as thinking that someone is plotting against you or that the TV is sending you secret messages. Hallucinations are false perceptions, such as hearing, seeing, or feeling something that is not there.

Schizophrenia is one type of psychotic disorder. People with bipolar disorder may also have psychotic symptoms. Other problems that can cause psychosis include alcohol and some drugs, brain tumors, brain infections, and stroke.

Treatment depends on the cause of the psychosis. It might involve drugs to control symptoms and talk therapy. Hospitalization is an option for serious cases where a person might be dangerous to himself or others.


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

  • FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
  • FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
  • FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
  • FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
  • FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
  • FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
  • FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
  • FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
  • FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.

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.