Version 2024
No Valid Principal Dx

2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R43.8

Other disturbances of smell and taste

ICD-10-CM Code:
R43.8
ICD-10 Code for:
Other disturbances of smell and taste
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)
      • Disturbances of smell and taste
        (R43)

R43.8 is a billable diagnosis code used to specify a medical diagnosis of other disturbances of smell and taste. The code is valid during the current fiscal year for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions from October 01, 2023 through September 30, 2024.

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:

  • Aftertaste
  • Anterior tongue taste disorder
  • Bad taste in mouth
  • Franklinic taste
  • Garlic taste
  • Hemiageusia
  • Hypogeusia
  • Loss of taste
  • Loss of taste
  • Loss of taste
  • Loss of taste anterior two thirds of tongue
  • Loss of taste posterior one third of tongue
  • Metallic taste
  • Neurologic unpleasant taste
  • Phantom taste
  • Primary bitter taste disorder
  • Primary salt taste disorder
  • Primary sweet taste disorder
  • Primary taste disorder
  • Primary taste disorder
  • Primary taste disorder
  • Pseudogeusesthesia
  • Secondary acid taste disorder
  • Secondary bitter taste disorder
  • Secondary sweet taste disorder
  • Secondary taste disorder
  • Sensitive to smells
  • Sensitivity to individual odor
  • Taste of food lingers
  • Unpleasant taste in mouth

Clinical Classification

Clinical Information

  • Hypogeusia

    decreased ability to taste.

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

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


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.
  • Mixed disturbance of smell and taste

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 R43.8 to ICD-9-CM

  • ICD-9-CM Code: 781.1 - Smell & taste disturb
    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


Taste and Smell Disorders

Our senses of taste and smell give us great pleasure. Taste helps us enjoy food and beverages. Smell lets us enjoy the scents and fragrances like roses or coffee. Taste and smell also protect us, letting us know when food has gone bad or when there is a gas leak. They make us want to eat, ensuring we get the nutrition we need.

People with taste disorders may taste things that aren't there, may not be able to tell the difference in tastes, or can't taste at all. People with smell disorders may lose their sense of smell, or things may smell different. A smell they once enjoyed may now smell bad to them.

Many illnesses and injuries can cause taste and smell disorders, including colds and head injuries. Some drugs can also affect taste and smell. Most people lose some ability to taste and smell as they get older. Treatment varies, depending on the problem and its cause.

NIH: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders


[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.