Otitis Media Bilateral ICD-10-CM Codes

Which otitis media bilateral ICD codes are billable?

All the codes listed above are eligible for use in medical claims related to otitis media bilateral and related middle ear disorders.

Clinical information

Otitis media bilateral involves concurrent infection or inflammation in both external ears or middle ears, and it can present as acute, subacute, chronic, or recurrent. Types include:

• Acute otitis media
• Allergic otitis media and subacute allergic otitis media
• Serous otitis media bilateral or unilateral
• Mucoid otitis media and hemorrhagic otitis externa (external inflammation)
• Other otitis externa including noninfective acute otitis externa

These conditions may be complicated by an associated perforated tympanic membrane, spontaneous rupture, or associated middle ear effusion. A clinical exam typically includes:

• Otoscopy to examine the ear drum for signs of infection (redness, fluid, bulging)
• Audiometry or tympanometry for cases involving hearing loss or chronic otitis media
• History of symptoms in the right external ear, left external ear, or both
• Assessment of risk factors such as tobacco smoke, recurrent unspecified ear infections, and tobacco dependence

Treatment depends on type and severity:

• Antibiotics for bacterial forms of otitis media or external ear infections
• Analgesics for pain relief
• ENT referrals for cases like recurrent right ear infections or suspected diseases classified elsewhere
• Patient education on prevention, such as avoiding environmental tobacco smoke and ensuring good ear hygiene

Synonyms include

• Bilateral ear infection
• Ear infection in both ears
• Double-sided otitis media
• Dual otitis media
• Both ear otitis media
• Otitis media in both ears