R53.81

Other malaise

Billable / specific

R53.81 is a billable, specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes in FY2027.

Inclusion terms

Applicable to

  • Chronic debility
  • Debility NOS
  • General physical deterioration
  • Malaise NOS
  • Nervous debility

Includes (from R53)

  • Note: This chapter includes symptoms, signs, abnormal results of clinical or other investigative procedures, and ill-defined conditions regarding which no diagnosis classifiable elsewhere is recorded.
  • Note: Signs and symptoms that point rather definitely to a given diagnosis have been assigned to a category in other chapters of the classification. In general, categories in this chapter include the less well-defined conditions and symptoms that, without the necessary study of the case to establish a final diagnosis, point perhaps equally to two or more diseases or to two or more systems of the body. Practically all categories in the chapter could be designated 'not otherwise specified', 'unknown etiology' or 'transient'. The Alphabetical Index should be consulted to determine which symptoms and signs are to be allocated here and which to other chapters. The residual subcategories, numbered .8, are generally provided for other relevant symptoms that cannot be allocated elsewhere in the classification.
  • Note: The conditions and signs or symptoms included in categories R00-R94 consist of:
  • Note: (a) cases for which no more specific diagnosis can be made even after all the facts bearing on the case have been investigated;
  • Note: (b) signs or symptoms existing at the time of initial encounter that proved to be transient and whose causes could not be determined;
  • Note: (c) provisional diagnosis in a patient who failed to return for further investigation or care;
  • Note: (d) cases referred elsewhere for investigation or treatment before the diagnosis was made;
  • Note: (e) cases in which a more precise diagnosis was not available for any other reason;
  • Note: (f) certain symptoms, for which supplementary information is provided, that represent important problems in medical care in their own right.

Excludes1

Not coded here — never report together with this code.

  • age-related physical debility (R54)
  • combat exhaustion and fatigue (F43.0) (from R53.8)
  • congenital debility (P96.9) (from R53.8)
  • exhaustion and fatigue due to excessive exertion (T73.3) (from R53.8)
  • exhaustion and fatigue due to exposure (T73.2) (from R53.8)
  • exhaustion and fatigue due to heat (T67.-) (from R53.8)
  • exhaustion and fatigue due to pregnancy (O26.8-) (from R53.8)
  • exhaustion and fatigue due to recurrent depressive episode (F33-) (from R53.8)
  • exhaustion and fatigue due to senile debility (R54) (from R53.8)

Excludes2

Not included here — may be reported together when both conditions exist.

  • abnormal findings on antenatal screening of mother (O28.-) (from R53)
  • certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96) (from R53)
  • signs and symptoms classified in the body system chapters (from R53)
  • signs and symptoms of breast (N63, N64.5) (from R53)

Also known as

  • Chronic debility
  • Debility NOS
  • General physical deterioration
  • Malaise NOS
  • Nervous debility
  • Debility
  • Debility, nervous
  • Deterioration, general physical
  • Malaise

Parent code

  • R53.8Other malaise and fatigueHeader

Related codes

  • R53.82Chronic fatigue, unspecifiedBillable
  • R53.83Other fatigueBillable

Browse