ICD-10-CM Code For Disturbances Of Smell And Taste: Group Overview

The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) code group R43 includes diagnoses for disturbances of smell and taste such as anosmia, hyposmia, parosmia, ageusia, hypogeusia, and dysgeusia that cover loss, reduction, or distortion of olfactory and gustatory function. These ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes are used to document clinical presentations involving sensory dysfunction of smell and taste, capturing severity, laterality when applicable, and associated clinical complexity. Accurate coding within the ICD-10-CM R43 group supports proper claim adjudication, complete clinical documentation, and appropriate reimbursement.

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ICD-10-CM R43: Disturbances Of Smell And Taste Overview

This group captures diagnoses related to changes, loss, or distortion of olfaction and gustation, affecting the senses of smell and taste. These conditions involve the cranial nerve pathways and chemosensory systems and may result from infections, neurologic disorders, head trauma, or sinonasal disease. Accurate coding matters for reimbursement because it documents clinical complexity and justifies medical necessity for diagnostic testing and treatment.

When to Use

Use a code from this group when a patient presents with documented loss, reduction, or distortion of smell or taste as the primary clinical finding. Codes are applied for encounters that require diagnostic evaluation, monitoring, or treatment related to olfactory or gustatory dysfunction.

ICD-10-CM Codes

5 rows

ICD-10-CM Code	Description
R43.0	Anosmia
R43.1	Parosmia
R43.2	Parageusia
R43.8	Other disturbances of smell and taste
R43.9	Unspecified disturbances of smell and taste

DRG Codes

3 rows

DRG Code	Description
091	Other Disorders of Nervous System with MCC
092	Other Disorders of Nervous System with CC
093	Other Disorders of Nervous System without CC/MCC

Typical Clinical Scenarios

An adult presents to the emergency department after a recent upper respiratory viral illness with sudden inability to smell and diminished taste, reporting food tastes bland and noting anosmia began three days ago. The acute onset after infection prompts evaluation for post-viral chemosensory loss and symptom-focused coding is assigned for the smell disturbance. Typical codes: R43.0, R43.2
A middle-aged patient seen in primary care reports progressive, long-standing decreased ability to taste and identify flavors over several months, impacting nutrition and quality of life without clear acute trigger; chronic sensory testing confirms hypogeusia. Because this is a persistent alteration of taste function assessed in an outpatient setting, a chronic taste disturbance code from the group is used. Typical codes: R43.2, R43.9
An older patient with Parkinson disease is evaluated for worsening olfactory dysfunction noted by caregiver during neurologic follow-up; the smell loss is documented as part of the patient’s nonmotor features and considered a comorbidity influencing care planning. In this context a code for smell disturbance is assigned to capture the symptom alongside the primary neurologic diagnosis. Typical codes: R43.0, R43.9

Related Codes

R40-SOMNOLENCE-STUPOR-AND-COMA

ICD-10-CM Code For Somnolence Stupor And Coma: Group Overview

R41-OTHER-SYMPTOMS-AND-SIGNS-COGNITIVE

ICD-10-CM Code For Other Symptoms And Signs Involving Cognitive Functions And Awareness: Group Overview

R42-DIZZINESS-AND-GIDDINESS

ICD-10-CM Code For Dizziness And Giddiness: Group Overview

R44-OTHER-SYMPTOMS-AND-SIGNS

ICD-10-CM Code For Other Symptoms And Signs Involving General Sensations And Perceptions: Group Overview

R45-SYMPTOMS-AND-SIGNS-EMOTIONAL-STATE

ICD-10-CM Code For Symptoms And Signs Involving Emotional State: Group Overview

R46-SYMPTOMS-AND-SIGNS-APPEARANCE-BEHAVIOR

ICD-10-CM Code For Symptoms And Signs Involving Appearance And Behavior: Group Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

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When to Use

ICD-10-CM Codes

5 rows

ICD-10-CM Code	Description
R43.0	Anosmia
R43.1	Parosmia
R43.2	Parageusia
R43.8	Other disturbances of smell and taste
R43.9	Unspecified disturbances of smell and taste

DRG Codes

3 rows

DRG Code	Description
091	Other Disorders of Nervous System with MCC
092	Other Disorders of Nervous System with CC
093	Other Disorders of Nervous System without CC/MCC

Typical Clinical Scenarios

An adult presents to the emergency department after a recent upper respiratory viral illness with sudden inability to smell and diminished taste, reporting food tastes bland and noting anosmia began three days ago. The acute onset after infection prompts evaluation for post-viral chemosensory loss and symptom-focused coding is assigned for the smell disturbance. Typical codes: R43.0, R43.2
A middle-aged patient seen in primary care reports progressive, long-standing decreased ability to taste and identify flavors over several months, impacting nutrition and quality of life without clear acute trigger; chronic sensory testing confirms hypogeusia. Because this is a persistent alteration of taste function assessed in an outpatient setting, a chronic taste disturbance code from the group is used. Typical codes: R43.2, R43.9
An older patient with Parkinson disease is evaluated for worsening olfactory dysfunction noted by caregiver during neurologic follow-up; the smell loss is documented as part of the patient’s nonmotor features and considered a comorbidity influencing care planning. In this context a code for smell disturbance is assigned to capture the symptom alongside the primary neurologic diagnosis. Typical codes: R43.0, R43.9

Related Codes

R40-SOMNOLENCE-STUPOR-AND-COMA

ICD-10-CM Code For Somnolence Stupor And Coma: Group Overview

R41-OTHER-SYMPTOMS-AND-SIGNS-COGNITIVE

ICD-10-CM Code For Other Symptoms And Signs Involving Cognitive Functions And Awareness: Group Overview

R42-DIZZINESS-AND-GIDDINESS

ICD-10-CM Code For Dizziness And Giddiness: Group Overview

R44-OTHER-SYMPTOMS-AND-SIGNS

ICD-10-CM Code For Other Symptoms And Signs Involving General Sensations And Perceptions: Group Overview

R45-SYMPTOMS-AND-SIGNS-EMOTIONAL-STATE

ICD-10-CM Code For Symptoms And Signs Involving Emotional State: Group Overview

R46-SYMPTOMS-AND-SIGNS-APPEARANCE-BEHAVIOR

ICD-10-CM Code For Symptoms And Signs Involving Appearance And Behavior: Group Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

Published by

Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

ICD-10-CM Code For Disturbances Of Smell And Taste: Group Overview

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ICD-10-CM R43: Disturbances Of Smell And Taste Overview

ICD-10-CM Code For Disturbances Of Smell And Taste: Group Overview

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ICD-10-CM R43: Disturbances Of Smell And Taste Overview

When to Use

ICD-10-CM Codes

DRG Codes

Typical Clinical Scenarios

Related Codes

Which diagnoses are included in ICD-10-CM group R43?

How does accurate coding within R43 affect reimbursement?

What clinical conditions commonly underlie entries in R43?

Are laterality or severity elements represented in the R43 codes?

Which DRGs are related to disturbances of smell and taste?

References

When to Use

ICD-10-CM Codes

DRG Codes

Typical Clinical Scenarios

Related Codes

Which diagnoses are included in ICD-10-CM group R43?

How does accurate coding within R43 affect reimbursement?

What clinical conditions commonly underlie entries in R43?

Are laterality or severity elements represented in the R43 codes?

Which DRGs are related to disturbances of smell and taste?

References