Find information on urinary frequency and urgency, including clinical documentation tips, ICD-10 codes (N99.8, R35.0, R39.1), medical coding guidelines, and differential diagnoses. This resource provides healthcare professionals with insights into overactive bladder (OAB), interstitial cystitis (IC), urinary tract infections (UTIs), and other related conditions. Learn about proper documentation for symptoms like nocturia, urgency incontinence, and frequent urination to ensure accurate billing and coding for optimal reimbursement. Explore best practices for patient care and management of urinary frequency and urgency in a clinical setting.
Also known as
Urinary urgency
Involuntary and sudden need to urinate.
Polyuria
Excessive urination, a common symptom of frequency.
Urgency of urination, overactive bladder
Frequent, urgent need to urinate due to overactive bladder.
Follow this step-by-step guide to choose the correct ICD-10 code.
Is there a documented infection?
When to use each related code
| Description |
|---|
| Urinary frequency and urgency |
| Overactive bladder (OAB) |
| Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) |
Coding with unspecified codes (e.g., R35.0) when a more specific diagnosis is documented creates compliance and reimbursement risks.
Incorrectly coding overlapping lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) like overactive bladder (OAB) with urgency/frequency independently may lead to overcoding.
Coding urinary frequency/urgency without sufficient clinical documentation supporting the diagnosis leads to audit denials and CDI queries.
Patient presents with complaints of urinary frequency and urgency, impacting quality of life. Symptoms include increased daytime frequency (pollakiuria), nocturia (frequent nighttime urination), and a sudden, compelling urge to void (urgent micturition). Onset of symptoms is described as gradual over the past [timeframe]. Patient denies dysuria, hematuria, fever, or flank pain. Differential diagnosis includes overactive bladder (OAB), urinary tract infection (UTI), interstitial cystitis (IC), bladder outlet obstruction (BOO), and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in males. Physical examination reveals no suprapubic tenderness or costovertebral angle tenderness. Urinalysis performed to rule out infection. Pending urinalysis results, initial management will focus on conservative measures including bladder training, pelvic floor exercises, and fluid management strategies. Patient education provided on lifestyle modifications, including caffeine reduction and timed voiding. Follow-up scheduled in [timeframe] to review urinalysis results and discuss further diagnostic testing or treatment options if necessary, such as urodynamic studies or pharmacotherapy for overactive bladder if indicated. ICD-10 code R35.0 (Increased frequency of micturition) and R39.15 (Urgency of micturition) considered pending diagnostic confirmation. Medical decision making complexity is currently low.