Va Rating For Bulging Disc In Back

The rating could range from anywhere between 10-50 or 100 each providing a different amount of monthly benefit.

Va rating for bulging disc in back. How is a bulging disc different from herniated disc. VA Disability Rating for Bulging Disc. And which is worse. I have had bowel and bladder issues since my injury thaat the VA has refused to service connect until 03112016.

The Back and Spine Overview. While the VA often uses range of motion testing to give a disability rating for bulging discs your condition may instead be evaluated under the diagnostic code for intervertebral disc syndrome IBS if certain criteria are metDepending on how many incapacitating episodes occurred within a one-year time frame the VA may give you a disability rating for. Or combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 120 degrees but not greater than 235 degrees. Moreover if an individual is involved in manual labor which puts added pressure on the back then disc bulge tends to develop faster than normal.

When the disability arises from degenerated bulging or herniated discs the VA will apply its rating criteria for both general spine injuries and IVDS. The present VA ratings assigned for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine and radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities when combined See 38 CFR. To receive an extraschedular disability rating you must show the VA why your condition is worse than the 50 maximum. However back injuries especially any injury to the spine can be very seriousHerniated discs are a prevalent type of spinal injury.

This guide will break down how the VA rates back pain and spinal disabilities so you can take the first steps toward making a claim. Now that we know what a bulging disc is lets discuss disc herniation. There are varying levels of severityfor instance a herniated disc is when the nucleus of the disc is actually protruding. In severe cases a bulging disc can cause muscle weakness loss of reflexes and numbness and tingling.

The Musculoskeletal System is vast and. I have a 60 rating for herniated discs with bilateral lower extremity sciatica residuals of low back injury previously evealuated under DC5293 1995 this is funny because there is not a 5293 in the CFR. Medical Testing is Needed to Receive a VA Disability Rating for a Bulging Disc. Back injuries are one of the most common injuries Veterans face.

While the VA diagnostic code has a maximum rating of 50 it is possible to get a greater rating if you can prove how your spinal condition limits your function and your life. Of course a limited range of motion is not the only way to get VA disability for back problems. 60 with incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least 6 weeks during the past 12 months. The VA uses diagnostic code 5003 to rate musculoskeletal conditions which includes back conditions like degenerative arthritis.

By definition this condition is a weakening of the outer lining of the disc that allows the inner layers to push out and bulge the outer rim of the disc. Get Help from Our Degenerative Disc Disease VA Benefits Attorneys. If you developed a herniated disc while in service or exacerbated your injury while in the military you are entitled to herniated disc VA disability compensation. As an individual ages the outer portion of the disc gets weak resulting in the inner parts of the disc to bulge outward.

Disc Bulge or Bulging Disc is more common than disc herniation and occurs with age. Results from other methods are not acceptable. To receive a VA disability rating for a bulging disc you need both a diagnosis of a deformed disc and medical testing to establish the severity of the disc problem. So individuals with a low range of motion and other severe symptoms will receive a higher VA disability rating for DDD.

The VA awards disability compensation for each Back and Spine condition that is service-connectedThe DoD will also rate service-connected conditions as long as they also make the service member Unfit for DutyFor Reservists the condition must have occurred in or resulted from an injury in the Line of Duty to qualify. VA rates degenerative disc disease under 38 CFR 471a Schedule of Ratings Musculoskeletal System Diagnostic Code 5242. 423 are rated as 70 percent disabling. A VA examiner will then assign a rating based on the doctors assessment and any other evidence that you supply in your application.

VA ratings for various spine conditions are based on a persons range of motion. Technically the highest VA rating for a thoracolumbar spinal disability is 50 percent. VA ratings for Radiculopathy of the left lower and right lower extremities are typically rated under diagnostic code 8620. Spinal surgery can also repair some herniated discs.

Disability Benefits for Herniated or Bulging Discs. Because of that qualifying for a 50 percent rating for a thoracolumbar spine disability is very difficult. As with most medical conditions the VA disability rating for back pain depends on a variety of factors. In most simple terms a herniated disc is when the fluid material from the disc aka nucleus pulposus ruptures through the outer layer of the disc aka anulus fibrosus and now spills out the back which can directly compress on spinal nerves and.

10 forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 60 degrees but not greater than 85 degrees. The rating criteria for this diagnostic code is virtually the same as Diagnostic Code 5003 which is used to rate degenerative arthritis. People with a herniated or bulging disc often suffer from debilitating pain in the back and hips either temporarily or chronically. It is important to note that for bulging disc VA may also consider an evaluation under intervertebral disc syndrome if the veteran meets the criteria outlined below.

The rating criteria can also evaluate if the neck or lower back regions are frozen in an unfavorable or favorable position. Bulging discs in the lower back are a common cause of back pain. Physicians must test the ability you have to move with a goniometer. To qualify for a 50 percent rating a veteran would need to have unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine.