---
title: "DC 6201 - Chronic nonsuppurative otitis media with effusion (serous otitis media):"
diagnostic_code: "6201"
body_system: "Impairment of Auditory Acuity"
cfr_section: "§ 4.87"
canonical: "https://veteranai.co/va-rating-schedule/hearing/6201-chronic-nonsuppurative-otitis-media-with-effusion-serous"
source: "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/section-4.87"
updated: "2026-07-21T20:22:55.992122Z"
---

# DC 6201 - Chronic nonsuppurative otitis media with effusion (serous otitis media):

Rated under § 4.87. Body system: Impairment of Auditory Acuity.

Rate hearing impairment

## Rating criteria

No itemised criteria have been extracted for this code. Use the official source.

# Chronic Nonsuppurative Otitis Media with Effusion (Serous Otitis Media)

**VA Diagnostic Code 6201 · 38 CFR § 4.87 · Impairment of Auditory Acuity**

## What This Condition Is

Chronic nonsuppurative otitis media with effusion — also known as serous otitis media — is a condition affecting the ear, categorized by the VA under Impairment of Auditory Acuity. It falls within the schedule of ratings for diseases of the ear found in **38 CFR § 4.87**.

## How the VA Rates It

For Diagnostic Code 6201, the VA does not assign a percentage for the effusion itself. Instead, the criteria direct the VA to **rate the resulting hearing impairment**.

In other words, the disability evaluation is based on the degree of hearing loss associated with the condition, rather than the presence of the ear condition alone.

## What the VA Looks For

When evaluating Diagnostic Code 6201, the VA focuses on:

- **Hearing impairment** — the evaluation is based on measured hearing loss connected to the condition.

Because the rating is tied to hearing impairment, documentation and evaluation of your hearing acuity are central to how this condition is assessed under § 4.87.

---

*This information is drawn directly from the VA rating schedule for Diagnostic Code 6201. It is provided for general educational purposes and does not guarantee any particular rating or outcome.*

Source: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/section-4.87