Allergic rhinitis, cause unspecified

This code signifies inflammation of the nasal passages due to an allergic reaction, where the specific allergen or cause is not identified. Patients typically present with symptoms such as sneezing, rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, and pruritus. It represents a general diagnosis of allergic rhinitis without further etiological specificity.

Use this code when documentation clearly indicates allergic rhinitis but does not specify the causative allergen (e.g., seasonal, perennial, due to pollen, dust mites). This is appropriate when the provider has diagnosed allergic rhinitis but has not performed or documented allergy testing, or the specific allergen is unknown.

• Avoid using this code if the specific allergen is known and documented; instead, use a more specific code from the 477 series (e.g., 477.0 for allergic rhinitis due to pollen).
• Ensure the medical record explicitly states "allergic rhinitis" or similar terminology, and that no specific cause is identified.
• This code should be considered a last resort when more specific allergic rhinitis codes cannot be supported by documentation.