ICD-10-CM J36 is the diagnosis code for Peritonsillar abscess. This code falls under the section "Other diseases of upper respiratory tract" within Chapter 10 — Diseases of the respiratory system (J00-J99). It is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes. Medical coders and healthcare providers use this code to document and classify diagnoses in electronic health records, insurance claims, and clinical databases.
The following conditions should never be coded at the same time as J36. They are mutually exclusive:
Understanding where J36 sits in the ICD-10-CM classification helps ensure proper coding:
Yes, J36 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes.
J36 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for "Peritonsillar abscess". It is used by healthcare providers to classify and document this condition in medical records and insurance claims.
J36 is located in Section J30-J39 — "Other diseases of upper respiratory tract" within Chapter 10 of the ICD-10-CM Tabular List.
Use J36 when the patients documented diagnosis matches "Peritonsillar abscess" and the clinical documentation supports this level of specificity. Always verify with the latest ICD-10-CM guidelines and payer requirements.
The ICD-10-CM code for Peritonsillar abscess is J36.
Yes, J36 can be used as a primary diagnosis code since it is billable and specific.
J36 is in Chapter 10 of the ICD-10-CM Tabular List.
Type 1 Excludes for J36 include: acute tonsillitis (J03.-); chronic tonsillitis (J35.0); retropharyngeal abscess (J39.0) and more.
Yes, J36 is a valid ICD-10-CM code for the 2026 fiscal year, subject to official CMS updates.