Conditions Secondary to PTSD
Service connected PTSD can cause or aggravate a long list of physical conditions. These are the most commonly claimed.
View the PTSD rating pagePTSD can affect sleep, stress hormones, blood pressure, and behavior, so it is frequently tied to physical conditions as secondary claims under 38 CFR 3.310. Sleep apnea secondary to PTSD is one of the most common, and most missed, of all VA claims.
As with any secondary claim, the key is a medical opinion linking the new condition to your service connected PTSD. The medical literature search below can help your doctor support that opinion.
Conditions commonly claimed as secondary
Each opens its 38 CFR rating criteria. A listing here is not a promise of service connection.
Obstructive sleep apnea is rated under 38 CFR 4.97, DC 6847, at 0, 30, 50, or 100 percent, most notably 50 percent when a breathing-assistance device such as CPAP is required. It is one of the most common and most missed secondary claims, frequently linked to service connected PTSD, depression, or chronic rhinitis.
Obstructive sleep apnea is rated under diagnostic code 6847 at 0, 30, 50, or 100 percent based on symptoms and treatment requirement.
GERD is rated under DC 7206 (rated as esophageal stricture) from 0 to 80 percent based on dysphagia, the treatment required, and any aspiration, undernutrition, or weight loss.
Hypertension is rated under diagnostic code 7101 at 10, 20, 40, or 60 percent based on diastolic and systolic readings.
Ischemic heart disease is rated under diagnostic code 7005 at 10, 30, 60, or 100 percent based on workload tolerance and ejection fraction.
Erectile dysfunction is rated under diagnostic code 7522 at 20 percent when there is deformity of the penis with loss of erectile power. Additionally, Special Monthly Compensation (SMC-K), which is $139.87 per month for 2026, is awarded for loss of use of a creative organ.
Migraines are rated under diagnostic code 8100 from 0 to 50 percent based on the frequency of prostrating attacks and their economic impact.
Irritable bowel syndrome is rated under DC 7319 at 10, 20, or 30 percent based on how often abdominal pain occurs with at least two associated bowel symptoms.
Substance use disorder may be service connected as secondary to a service connected mental health condition such as PTSD, and rated under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders.
Bruxism does not have its own diagnostic code. It is most commonly rated under code 9905 (TMJ) when it causes TMJ residuals, or as secondary to a service connected mental health condition such as PTSD or anxiety.
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Open a PubMed search for the medical literature behind these secondary claims. Bring relevant studies to your treating physician or a VA accredited representative; a study supports a medical opinion, it is not the opinion itself.
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