Central Nervous System and Neuromuscular Diseases 

Central Nervous Rating System

This rating system is for the majority of brain and spinal cord conditions and nervous system diseases. Assigning Disability Ratings to these conditions can be very confusing. First, all these conditions are rated based on the symptoms or other conditions it causes. For example, if a brain condition causes the right arm to be paralyzed, then it would be rated on whichever peripheral nerve was damaged to cause the paralysis of that arm.

When rating the symptoms of a central nervous condition, the final code will look like this: 8007-5200. The first four-digit code defines the condition, and the second code tells how it is rated. So in this example, embolism of the blood vessels in the brain (DC 8007) causes paralysis of the arm (DC 5200), on which it is rated.

Some of these conditions have minimum required ratings. This means that no matter what symptom it is rated on, the LOWEST rating it can receive is the minimum. Just because a condition has a minimum rating noted, however, does not mean that every case of this condition can qualify for that minimum rating.

If the condition has ratable symptoms, then the minimum rating is always applied. If the only symptoms are ones that cannot be measured (like headaches, dizziness, fatigue, etc.—note that these symptoms are also not usually separately ratable), then that condition can qualify for the minimum rating under its code, but only as long as the diagnosis of the condition is definite and the symptoms are common for that condition.

For example, if a service member has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, but the only symptom he has is diarrhea, then it would be pretty logical to say that the diarrhea was not caused by the Parkinson’s and so cannot be rated. In the absence of any ratable symptoms, the condition would be rated 0%.

If, however, a service member has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and the only symptom he has is dizziness (this can be caused by destruction of the brain’s ability to sense balance), he would qualify for the minimum rating under the Parkinson’s, code 8004, which is 30%. 

Conditions of the Brain

Diagnostic Code 8000: Chronic epidemic encephalitis is more commonly known as the sleeping sickness that is often found in Africa. It is technically the swelling of the brain caused by a virus or bacteria. Symptoms can include headache (code 8100), drowsiness, fever, nausea, paralysis of the eye muscles (code 6009), and weakness. If the encephalitis is active, it is rated 100%. This 100% rating continues for the first 3 months following the end of the active disease. It is then reevaluated and rated on the Central Nervous Rating System. The minimum rating for this condition is 10%.

Diagnostic Code 8004: Parkinson’s disease (a.k.a. paralysis agitans) is a condition where cells in the brain die, causing serious difficulties controlling bodily movements. This condition is degenerative, meaning it cannot be cured and gets progressively worse over time. Symptoms can include shaking, slowness, difficulty walking (this would be rated under one of the leg codes, depending on which best describes the exact problem, 5256, 5260-5261, 5250-5253), paralysis, dementia (9305), and other mental disorders. It is rated on the Central Nervous Rating System. The minimum rating for this condition is 30%.

Diagnostic Code 8005: Bulbar palsy is a condition where all the cranial nerves are affected by an area of damaged tissues in the brain. This condition is always rated 100%.

Diagnostic Code 8007: Embolism of the blood vessels in the brain (a form of stroke) occurs when blood clots that form in other parts of the body move to the blood vessels in the brain, stopping the flow of blood to the brain. Symptoms can include paralysis, dementia (9305), and weakness. This condition is rated 100% while it is active and for the first 6 months following the last treatment. After that period, it is reevaluated and rated on the Central Nervous Rating System. The minimum rating for this condition is 10%.

Diagnostic Code 8008: Thrombosis of the blood vessels in the brain (the most common kind of stroke) occurs when blood clots form in the brain’s blood vessels, restricting the flow of blood to the brain. Symptoms can include paralysis, dementia (9305), and weakness. This condition is rated 100% while it is active and for the first 6 months following the last treatment. After that period, it is reevaluated and rated on the Central Nervous Rating System. The minimum rating for this condition is 10%.

Diagnostic Code 8009: Hemorrhage from the blood vessels in the brain (a form of stroke) occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, causing bleeding into the brain that kills the surrounding brain cells. Symptoms can include paralysis, dementia (9305), and weakness. This condition is rated 100% while it is active and for the first 6 months following the last treatment. After that period, it is reevaluated and rated on the Central Nervous Rating System. The minimum rating for this condition is 10%.

Diagnostic Code 8014: Meningovascular syphilis is an infection of the syphilis bacteria in the lining of the brain and the blood vessels in the brain. This occurs only after a syphilis infection has occurred elsewhere in the body. Symptoms can include headaches (8100), fatigue, dementia (9305), nerve paralysis, double vision (6009), and poor memory. It is rated on the Central Nervous Rating System.

Diagnostic Code 8020: Abscess of the brain is a collection of pus in the brain from an infection or injury to the brain. The pus puts pressure on the surrounding brain and can kill brain cells. Symptoms can include headaches (8100), dementia (9305), fatigue, nerve paralysis, seizures (8910-8911), and weakness. This condition is rated 100% while it is active and for the first 3 months following the last treatment. After that period, it is reevaluated and rated on the Central Nervous Rating System. The minimum rating for this condition is 10%.

Diagnostic Code 8025: Myasthenia gravis is a condition where the immune system attacks the healthy tissues that allow the nerves to communicate with the muscles. Symptoms can include trouble breathing (6840-6841), weakness, nerve paralysis, difficulty eating (7203, 9901), fatigue, and double vision (6009). It is rated on the Central Nervous Rating System. The minimum rating for this condition is 30%.

Diagnostic Code 8046: Cerebral arteriosclerosis occurs when the arteries in the brain stiffen and narrow, restricting the blood flow to the brain. To rate a condition under this code, clinical proof must be given that this condition is cerebral arteriosclerosis and not just retinal arteriosclerosis.

This code is rated on the Central Nervous Rating System with one difference. If the only symptoms of this condition are not measureable, like headache, dizziness, insomnia, etc., it is rated 10%, and no more, under code 9305, vascular dementia. Not quite sure why the code for dementia is used for the non-ratable symptoms, but it is. Everything else is the same, but there is no minimum rating for this condition.

Conditions of the Spinal Cord

Diagnostic Code 8010: Myelitis is the swelling or infection of the tissues of the spinal cord. Symptoms can include fatigue, nerve paralysis, difficulty walking (this would be rated under one of the leg codes, depending on which best describes the exact problem, 5256, 5260-5261, 5250-5253), incontinence, and weakness. It is rated on the Central Nervous Rating System. The minimum rating for this condition is 10%.

Diagnostic Code 8011: Anterior poliomyelitis (a.k.a. polio) is an infectious disease that causes swelling in the spinal cord. Symptoms can include nerve paralysis, and muscle weakness. This condition is rated 100% while active and for the first 3 months following the last treatment. After that period, it is reevaluated and rated on the Central Nervous Rating System. The minimum rating for this condition is 10%.

Diagnostic Code 8012: Hematomyelia occurs when blood vessels burst and bleed into the spinal cord, building pressure and killing the cells around it. Symptoms can include nerve paralysis, and muscle weakness. This condition is rated 100% for 6 months following the hemorrhage. After that period, it is reevaluated and rated on the Central Nervous Rating System. The minimum rating for this condition is 10%.

Diagnostic Code 8015: Tabes dorsalis is a syphilis infection in the spinal cord that slowly kills the cells. Symptoms can include nerve paralysis, convulsive tics (8103, 8104 or epilepsy), vision problems, degenerative arthritis (5003), and mental disorders. It is rated on the Central Nervous Rating System.

Diagnostic Code 8024: Syringomyelia is a cyst that forms in the spinal cord. Symptoms can include headaches (8100), nerve paralysis, muscle weakness, and pain. It is rated on the Central Nervous Rating System. The minimum rating for this condition is 30%.

Nervous System Diseases

Diagnostic Code 8013: Cerebrospinal syphilis is an infection of the syphilis bacteria in the brain or spinal cord. This occurs only after a syphilis infection has occurred elsewhere in the body. Symptoms can include headaches (8100), fatigue, dementia (9305), nerve paralysis, double vision (6009), and poor memory. It is rated on the Central Nervous Rating System.

Diagnostic Code 8017: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (a.k.a. Lou Gherig’s Disease or ALS) is a degenerative disease that gets worse over time and affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary (you tell the muscle to move—as opposed to involuntary: the heart beats regardless of the brain) muscle movement. Symptoms include loss of coordination, weakness, difficulty eating (7203, 9901), breathing (6840-6841), nerve paralysis, double vision (6009), and weight loss. The rating for any severity of ALS is 100%.

Diagnostic Code 8018: Multiple sclerosis (a.k.a. MS) is a degenerative disease that gets worse over time and causes the tissues surrounding the axons in the brain and spinal cord to swell, disconnecting the brain from the rest of the body. Symptoms get worse over time and include loss of coordination, weakness, difficulty eating (7203, 9901), muscle spasms or tics (8103-8104), difficulty breathing (6840-6841), nerve paralysis, double vision (6009), depression (9434), and other mental disorders. It is rated on the Central Nervous Rating System. The minimum rating for this condition is 30%.

Diagnostic Code 8019: Cerebrospinal meningitis (a.k.a. Meningitis) is an infection that causes the tissues covering the brain and spinal cord to swell. Symptoms can include headaches (8100), fever, vomiting, irritability, low blood pressure or other cardiac involvement, seizures, and gangrene leading to amputation. This condition is rated 100% while it is active and for 3 months following the last treatment. After that period, it is reevaluated and rated on the Central Nervous Rating System. The minimum rating for this condition is 10%.

Diagnostic Code 8023: Progressive muscular atrophy is a degenerative disease that gets worse over time and interferes with the brain and spinal cord’s motor neurons’ ability to communicate information to the muscles. Symptoms can include serious loss of muscle mass (atrophy), weakness, and muscle spasms or tics (8103-8104). It is rated on the Central Nervous Rating System. The minimum rating for this condition is 30%.

Diagnostic Code 8103: Convulsive tic is a condition where the nerves cause the muscles, predominantly in the face, arms, or legs, to spasm regularly. If it is severe, it is rated 30%. Moderate is rated 10%, and mild is rated 0%.

Diagnostic Code 8105: Sydenham’s Chorea (a.k.a. chorea minor) is a type of chorea disease caused by an infection of streptococci (rheumatic fever, rheumatic heart disease, etc). There are different kinds of Sydenham’s chorea, some more severe than others. The worst form is progressive grave, which is not treatable and gets worse over time.

If the condition is progressive grave, it is rated 100%. If the condition is severe, but it is not progressive grave, it is rated 80%. A moderately severe condition is rated 50%. A moderate condition is rated 30%. If the condition is mild, it is rated 10%.

Diagnostic Code 8106: Huntington’s Disease (a.k.a Huntington's chorea) is a type of chorea caused by a genetic abnormality. This kind of chorea normally does not become symptomatic until late adult life, and so is ratable by both the VA and the DoD. It is rated as Sydenham’s chorea under code 8105. The final code will be 8106-8105.

Diagnostic Code 8107: Athetosis is a condition where the fingers, legs, neck, and arms twitch uncontrollably. It is often the result of damage to the brain or conditions like cerebral palsy. It is rated as Sydenham’s chorea under code 8105. The final code will be 8107-8105.

Cancer and Tumors of the Nervous System

Cancer is the growth of abnormal cells. These cells can be benign—they do not attack the good cells around them—or they can be malignant—they attack the cells around them.

Diagnostic Code 8002: Malignant cancer of the brain is rated 100% while it is active. This 100% rating will continue for the first 2 years after the last treatment. The condition will then be reevaluated. If it is no longer active, then it is rated on the Central Nervous Rating System. The minimum rating for this condition is 30%.

Diagnostic Code 8003: Benign tumors of the brain are rated based on the Central Nervous Rating System, with a few differences. While they are active and receiving treatment they are rated at least 60%. Following treatment (usually surgery) the residual symptoms are rated separately. The minimum rating for the ratable symptoms is 10%.

Diagnostic Code 8021: Malignant cancer of the spinal cord is rated 100% while it is active. This 100% rating will continue for the first 2 years after the last treatment. The condition will then be reevaluated. If it is no longer active, then it is rated on the Central Nervous Rating System. The minimum rating for this condition is 30%.

Diagnostic Code 8022: Benign tumors of the spinal cord are rated based on the Central Nervous Rating System, with a few differences. While they are active and receiving treatment they are rated at least 60%. Following treatment (usually surgery) the residual symptoms are rated separately. The minimum rating for the ratable symptoms is 10%.

Diagnostic Code 8540: Malignant cancer of the nerves is rated 100% while it is active. This 100% rating will continue for the first 6 months following the last treatment. The condition will then be reevaluated. If it is no longer active, then it is rated on any lasting nerve damage. Find the nerve that is damaged on either the Nerves of the Upper Back and Arms page, Nerves of the Lower Back and Legs page, or The Cranial Nerves page.