Conductive hearing loss, unspecified

This code signifies a type of hearing loss where sound waves are not efficiently transmitted through the outer or middle ear to the inner ear. It indicates that the specific cause of the conductive hearing impairment has not been identified or documented.

This code is appropriate when a patient presents with conductive hearing loss, but the underlying etiology (e.g., otitis media, cerumen impaction, ossicular chain discontinuity) is not specified in the medical record. It should be used when the provider has diagnosed conductive hearing loss without further diagnostic specificity.

• Avoid using this code if a more specific cause of conductive hearing loss is documented (e.g., H65.01 for acute serous otitis media).
• Review the entire encounter documentation for any clues that might lead to a more precise diagnosis.
• Query the provider if the documentation indicates conductive hearing loss but lacks detail regarding the cause, to potentially allow for a more specific code.