Acute sinusitis (J01) ICD-10-CM
The J01 code range covers acute sinusitis with 22 ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes. 14 of them are billable and valid for claim submission in fiscal year 2026, and the category headers group them but cannot themselves be billed.
Includes
This note appears immediately under a three character code title to further define, or give examples of, the content of the category.
- acute abscess of sinus
- acute empyema of sinus
- acute infection of sinus
- acute inflammation of sinus
- acute suppuration of sinus
Use Additional Code
The “use additional code” indicates that a secondary code could be used to further specify the patient’s condition. This note is not mandatory and is only used if enough information is available to assign an additional code.
Type 1 Excludes
A type 1 excludes note is a pure excludes note. It means "NOT CODED HERE!" An Excludes1 note indicates that the code excluded should never be used at the same time as the code above the Excludes1 note. An Excludes1 is used when two conditions cannot occur together, such as a congenital form versus an acquired form of the same condition.
- sinusitis NOS J32.9
Type 2 Excludes
A type 2 excludes note represents "Not included here". An excludes2 note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the code, but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When an Excludes2 note appears under a code, it is acceptable to use both the code and the excluded code together, when appropriate.
Codes in the J01 Range 22 codes · 14 billable
- J01 Acute sinusitisNon-billable
- J01.0 Acute maxillary sinusitisNon-billable
- J01.00 Acute maxillary sinusitis, unspecified
- J01.01 Acute recurrent maxillary sinusitis
- J01.1 Acute frontal sinusitisNon-billable
- J01.10 Acute frontal sinusitis, unspecified
- J01.11 Acute recurrent frontal sinusitis
- J01.2 Acute ethmoidal sinusitisNon-billable
- J01.20 Acute ethmoidal sinusitis, unspecified
- J01.21 Acute recurrent ethmoidal sinusitis
- J01.3 Acute sphenoidal sinusitisNon-billable
- J01.30 Acute sphenoidal sinusitis, unspecified
- J01.31 Acute recurrent sphenoidal sinusitis
- J01.4 Acute pansinusitisNon-billable
- J01.40 Acute pansinusitis, unspecified
- J01.41 Acute recurrent pansinusitis
- J01.8 Other acute sinusitisNon-billable
- J01.80 Other acute sinusitis
- J01.81 Other acute recurrent sinusitis
- J01.9 Acute sinusitis, unspecifiedNon-billable
- J01.90 Acute sinusitis, unspecified
- J01.91 Acute recurrent sinusitis, unspecified
Clinical Terms in This Code Range
Definitions from the National Library of Medicine for conditions coded in the J01 range.
Allergic Fungal Sinusitis
Fungal infection in the PARANASAL SINUSES characterized by common allergy respiratory symptoms, recurrent NASAL POLYPS and/or ASTHMA with buildup of allergic MUCIN.
Frontal Sinusitis
Inflammation of the NASAL MUCOSA in the FRONTAL SINUS. In many cases, it is caused by an infection of the bacteria STREPTOCOCCUS PNEUMONIAE or HAEMOPHILUS INFLUENZAE.
Rhinosinusitis
Obstruction of sinus drainage into the NASAL CAVITY and inflammation of the NASAL MUCOSA in the PARANASAL SINUSES.
About the J01 Code Range
ICD-10 code section J01 covers acute sinusitis, a condition involving short-term inflammation or infection of the sinus cavities. These codes specify the exact sinus affected—maxillary, frontal, ethmoidal, sphenoidal, or pansinusitis—and whether the condition is a first occurrence or recurrent.
This set of codes is used to accurately classify diagnoses related to acute sinusitis and its types, helping healthcare providers document and treat inflammation in specific sinuses. For example, J01.00 identifies acute maxillary sinusitis when the sinus involved is unspecified, linked to terms like "acute empyema of maxillary sinus" or "abscess of nasal sinus." Recurrent episodes in the maxillary sinus are coded as J01.01, also noted as "recurrent acute maxillary sinusitis." Similar detailed codes exist for frontal sinusitis (J01.10, J01.11), ethmoidal sinusitis (J01.20, J01.21), and sphenoidal sinusitis (J01.30, J01.31), each distinguishing between initial or recurrent conditions. Acute pansinusitis, involving all sinuses, falls under J01.40 and J01.41. The section also includes unspecified and other acute sinusitis codes (J01.8, J01.9), useful when exact locations or details are not clarified. These detailed codes help ensure precise medical coding based on the sinus affected and the nature of the acute or recurrent infection.
Questions About This Page
How many billable codes are in the J01 range?
Of the 22 codes in this range, 14 are billable and valid for claim submission from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Category header codes group them but cannot be reported on claims.
What does the J01 range classify?
The range classifies acute sinusitis. Each code links to its own reference page with billing status, MS-DRG grouping, coding notes, and clinical information.
Related References
Source: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM Tabular List and order file, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
