2021 ICD-10-CM Code S04

Injury of cranial nerve

  1. ICD-10-CM Index
  2. Chapter: S00–T98
  3. Section: S00-S09
  4. Block: S04
  5. S04 - Injury of cranial nerve
Version 2021
Non-Billable Code

Not Valid for Submission

S04 is a non-specific and non-billable diagnosis code code, consider using a code with a higher level of specificity for a diagnosis of injury of cranial nerve. The code is not specific and is NOT valid for the year 2021 for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions. Category or Header define the heading of a category of codes that may be further subdivided by the use of 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th characters.

ICD-10:S04
Short Description:Injury of cranial nerve
Long Description:Injury of cranial nerve

Code Classification

Specific Coding for Injury of cranial nerve

Non-specific codes like S04 require more digits to indicate the appropriate level of specificity. Consider using any of the following ICD-10 codes with a higher level of specificity when coding for injury of cranial nerve:

  • Use S04.0 for Injury of optic nerve and pathways
  • Use S04.01 for Injury of optic nerve
  • Use S04.02 for Injury of optic chiasm
  • Use S04.03 for Injury of optic tract and pathways
  • Use S04.04 for Injury of visual cortex
  • Use S04.1 for Injury of oculomotor nerve
  • Use S04.10 for Injury of oculomotor nerve, unspecified side
  • Use S04.11 for Injury of oculomotor nerve, right side
  • Use S04.12 for Injury of oculomotor nerve, left side
  • Use S04.2 for Injury of trochlear nerve
  • Use S04.20 for Injury of trochlear nerve, unspecified side
  • Use S04.21 for Injury of trochlear nerve, right side
  • Use S04.22 for Injury of trochlear nerve, left side
  • Use S04.3 for Injury of trigeminal nerve
  • Use S04.30 for Injury of trigeminal nerve, unspecified side
  • Use S04.31 for Injury of trigeminal nerve, right side
  • Use S04.32 for Injury of trigeminal nerve, left side
  • Use S04.4 for Injury of abducent nerve
  • Use S04.40 for Injury of abducent nerve, unspecified side
  • Use S04.41 for Injury of abducent nerve, right side
  • Use S04.42 for Injury of abducent nerve, left side
  • Use S04.5 for Injury of facial nerve
  • Use S04.50 for Injury of facial nerve, unspecified side
  • Use S04.51 for Injury of facial nerve, right side
  • Use S04.52 for Injury of facial nerve, left side
  • Use S04.6 for Injury of acoustic nerve
  • Use S04.60 for Injury of acoustic nerve, unspecified side
  • Use S04.61 for Injury of acoustic nerve, right side
  • Use S04.62 for Injury of acoustic nerve, left side
  • Use S04.7 for Injury of accessory nerve
  • Use S04.70 for Injury of accessory nerve, unspecified side
  • Use S04.71 for Injury of accessory nerve, right side
  • Use S04.72 for Injury of accessory nerve, left side
  • Use S04.8 for Injury of other cranial nerves
  • Use S04.81 for Injury of olfactory [1st ] nerve
  • Use S04.89 for Injury of other cranial nerves
  • Use S04.9 for Injury of unspecified cranial nerve

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

The Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries is a list of ICD-10 codes, organized "head to toe" into chapters and sections with coding notes and guidance for inclusions, exclusions, descriptions and more. The following references are applicable to the code S04:


Inclusion Terms

Inclusion Terms
These terms are the conditions for which that code is to be used. The terms may be synonyms of the code title, or, in the case of "other specified" codes, the terms are a list of the various conditions assigned to that code. The inclusion terms are not necessarily exhaustive. Additional terms found only in the Alphabetic Index may also be assigned to a code.

Code First

Code First
Certain conditions have both an underlying etiology and multiple body system manifestations due to the underlying etiology. For such conditions, the ICD-10-CM has a coding convention that requires the underlying condition be sequenced first followed by the manifestation. Wherever such a combination exists, there is a "use additional code" note at the etiology code, and a "code first" note at the manifestation code. These instructional notes indicate the proper sequencing order of the codes, etiology followed by manifestation.

Code Also

Code Also
A "code also" note instructs that two codes may be required to fully describe a condition, but this note does not provide sequencing direction.

7th Character Note

7th Character Note
Certain ICD-10-CM categories have applicable 7th characters. The applicable 7th character is required for all codes within the category, or as the notes in the Tabular List instruct. The 7th character must always be the 7th character in the data field. If a code that requires a 7th character is not 6 characters, a placeholder X must be used to fill in the empty characters.

7th Character

7th Character
Indicates that a seventh character is to be assigned to codes in a subcategory.

Information for Patients


Peripheral Nerve Disorders

Also called: Neuritis, Peripheral neuritis, Peripheral neuropathy

Your peripheral nerves are the ones outside your brain and spinal cord. Like static on a telephone line, peripheral nerve disorders distort or interrupt the messages between the brain and the rest of the body.

There are more than 100 kinds of peripheral nerve disorders. They can affect one nerve or many nerves. Some are the result of other diseases, like diabetic nerve problems. Others, like Guillain-Barre syndrome, happen after a virus infection. Still others are from nerve compression, like carpal tunnel syndrome or thoracic outlet syndrome. In some cases, like complex regional pain syndrome and brachial plexus injuries, the problem begins after an injury. Some people are born with peripheral nerve disorders.

Symptoms often start gradually, and then get worse. They include

Treatment aims to treat any underlying problem, reduce pain and control symptoms.

NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

  • 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 (First year ICD-10-CM implemented into the HIPAA code set)

Previous Code: S03.9XXS

Related Codes

Next Code: S04.0