Overactive bladder

This code represents a syndrome characterized by urinary urgency, usually accompanied by frequency and nocturia, with or without urgency incontinence, in the absence of urinary tract infection or other obvious pathology. It reflects involuntary contractions of the detrusor muscle during the bladder filling phase.

Assign this code when documentation explicitly states "overactive bladder" or "OAB" as a diagnosis. It is appropriate when the patient experiences the classic triad of urgency, frequency, and nocturia, and other causes of these symptoms have been ruled out.

• Do not use this code if the frequent urination is attributed to a specific bladder condition, such as cystitis or bladder calculus; code the underlying condition instead.
• Ensure the provider's documentation clearly distinguishes OAB from other causes of urinary frequency or incontinence.
• Consider additional codes for associated symptoms like urgency incontinence (N39.41) if documented.