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What is radiculopathy, and how can veterans get VA disability benefits for it?

Radiculopathy is the official term for what many of us call "a pinched nerve" or “sciatica”. This common service-connected condition is faced by many veterans. Between service events that cause specific injuries and years of wear and tear due to the physical demands of the military, radiculopathy can develop as a result of several different initial factors.


In this blog, we'll cover the basics of radiculopathy – what it is, how it shows up – and how it works when it comes to getting VA disability benefits for it. 


Here's what veterans need to know about radiculopathy:


What is radiculopathy?

Basically, radiculopathy is caused when a nerve in your spine gets pinched. There are three different types of radiculopathy:


  • Cervical radiculopathy:

    • A pinched nerve in the cervical spine (neck area). This usually causes symptoms in the neck, arms, or hands.


  • Thoracic radiculopathy:

    • A pinched nerve in the thoracic spine (mid-back area). This causes symptoms around the chest, especially when breathing.


  • Lumbar radiculopathy:

    • A pinched nerve in the lower spine (lower back area). This causes lower back symptoms, often extending into the lower limbs.


Symptoms of radiculopathy include:

  • Pain in the area around your affected nerve

  • Numbness and tingling

  • Muscle weakness


Why radiculopathy is common in veterans

Radiculopathy is caused by anything that compresses or irritates the roots of the spinal nerves. And if you're a veteran, you can probably count several different instances during your time in service that something like that happened…


Physical traumas such as falls, injuries, and accidents – or herniated discs, as well as bone spurs, can all contribute to radiculopathy.


So if you had a specific service event that caused an injury, that could be the cause of your radiculopathy. It could also be from years of wear and tear.


Getting a VA disability benefits rating for radiculopathy

The VA typically rates radiculopathy between 10 and 50%, assuming veterans have a medical nexus that proves the connection to their time in service – plus plenty of adequate medical documentation to back it up.


One important thing to note is that it's possible to get a rating for EACH nerve that is impacted – meaning you can stack ratings for VA disability benefits as long as you can prove there are multiple different areas of the body affected. 10% for each impacted nerve can add up quickly.Many veterans with upper body and lower body orthopedic conditions may also qualify for a radiculopathy rating. Read more about each of these situations:



We help veterans prove their conditions to the VA through medical documentation

A medical nexus is a required element for filing a VA disability benefits claim (proof that your condition was caused by your time in the military). We help veterans do this with Nexus Letters, DBQs, and other additional claim-boosting services.


If you'd like to work with us, get started by signing up for a Medical Evidence Assessment – this is how the process begins.


If you're still curious about what we do, check out our other services here.



 
 
 

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