You enlisted to defend your country but the things you saw and faced during your service left you with PTSD. Dealing with the symptoms of this trauma disorder already takes a big mental and physical toll, but now you’re also experiencing migraines.
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This combination of health problems isn’t uncommon, but can make getting through the day a challenge. Read on to learn more about how to get a VA rating for migraine headaches secondary to PTSD and what to do if you can no longer work because of these conditions.
In this article about the VA rating for migraine headaches secondary to PTSD:
PTSD in veterans
Mental health conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are commonly diagnosed in veterans. The VA estimates around 7% of veterans experience PTSD at some point in their lives, which is slightly higher than the civilian average of about 6%. This number is significantly higher for veterans who engage in combat during their service.
In fact, according to VA’s most recent data, PTSD is the sixth most commonly service-connected condition for VA disability benefits. This makes it a more common VA disability claim than any other health condition. More than 1.4 million veterans currently receive compensation from the VA for PTSD.
Migraines in veterans
Migraines are another health concern diagnosed more commonly in veterans than civilians. These odds go up even more significantly for veterans who were deployed during military service, with one study finding 36% of participants who deployed to Iraq for at least a year experienced migraine symptoms.
Additionally, the VA has recognized many veterans who have migraines experience more severe symptoms than non-veterans. About 950,000 veterans currently receive VA disability compensation for migraines, making it the ninth most commonly service-connected condition.
Can PTSD cause migraines?
Research suggests there may be a connection between migraines and PTSD. Although the relationship between the two conditions is not fully understood, triggers for migraines can include stress, poor sleep habits, hormonal changes, and alcohol and nicotine use. All of these may be caused or worsened by PTSD.
Regardless of the exact reasoning, studies have consistently shown PTSD is associated with an increased likelihood of frequent migraine and headache symptoms.
If you believe your PTSD is causing migraines, talk to your doctor. They may be able to help you establish a medical connection between the two conditions, which could help you as you seek VA benefits for migraines secondary to PTSD.
VA rating for migraine headaches secondary to PTSD
To get a VA rating for migraine headaches secondary to PTSD, your PTSD will need to be service-connected. You may seek PTSD and migraine benefits at the same time, or migraine benefits after you establish a VA rating for PTSD.
However, regardless of the order, if you are claiming your migraines on a secondary basis to PTSD, you will need to be prepared to show how your PTSD ties back to your military service. The condition could be connected to something you witnessed in combat, military sexual trauma, a training accident, or any number of other stressors.
The VA rates PTSD using the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders between 0% and 100%, depending on the severity and frequency of your symptoms. The criteria is as follows:
| Description | VA Rating | Monthly payment (vet only) |
|---|---|---|
| Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name. | 100% | $3,831.30 |
| Occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to such symptoms as: suicidal ideation; obsessional rituals which interfere with routine activities; speech intermittently illogical, obscure, or irrelevant; near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently, appropriately and effectively; impaired impulse control (such as unprovoked irritability with periods of violence); spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and hygiene; difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances (including work or a worklike setting); inability to establish and maintain effective relationships. | 70% | $1,759.19 |
| Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to such symptoms as: flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty in understanding complex commands; impairment of short- and long-term memory (e.g., retention of only highly learned material, forgetting to complete tasks); impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and mood; difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships. | 50% | $1,102.04 |
| Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks (although generally functioning satisfactorily, with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation normal), due to such symptoms as: depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss (such as forgetting names, directions, recent events). | 30% | $537.42 |
| Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency and ability to perform occupational tasks only during periods of significant stress, or symptoms controlled by continuous medication. | 10% | $175.51 |
| A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but symptoms are not severe enough either to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication. | 0% | None |
Migraines are rated using diagnostic code 8100 between 0% and 50% as follows:
| Description | VA Rating | Monthly payment (vet only) |
|---|---|---|
| With very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability. | 50% | $1,102.04 |
| With characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on an average once a month over last several months. | 30% | $537.42 |
| With characteristic prostrating attacks averaging one in 2 months over last several months. | 10% | $175.51 |
| With less frequent attacks | 0% | None |
Ratings are primarily determined based on how often you have “prostrating attacks.” Prostrating means to lie stretched out, face down, but is not defined in the code for the VA’s purposes. The term has been interpreted as the level of incapacitation a person experiences during a migraine. It may be considered as migraines that are severe enough to force you to stop other activities to rest.
TDIU for migraines and PTSD
In some cases, a veteran may be awarded total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for migraines secondary to PTSD. TDIU is also known as individual unemployability or simply IU. Veterans are eligible for these benefits if they can’t hold down “substantially gainful” employment due to their service-connected conditions.
Veterans with migraines and PTSD may struggle to work for many reasons. They may not be able to work well with coworkers or customers or focus on tasks. Showing up to work at all or staying through the day with both of these conditions may often be difficult.
Veterans who receive TDIU benefits are compensated at the same level as those with a 100% disability rating, even though their combined rating is below 100%.
Veterans will typically be eligible for TDIU if they have:
- At least one service-connected disability rated at 60% or more disabling OR
- Two or more service-connected disabilities with at least one rated at 40% or more disabling and a combined rating of 70% or more
“They brought me from being stuck at 30%. Denial after denial. Finally rated at 70%. Appealed for total and unable to work disability since 2014. Without Woods & Woods, I would still be stuck at 30%.”
F.H.
How Woods & Woods can help
Our TDIU lawyers have helped thousands of veterans nationwide who can no longer work because of their service-connected conditions. Call us today for your free, confidential TDIU case evaluation. You won’t pay us unless we win your claim.
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(812) 426-7200
Frequently asked questions
If your PTSD is service-connected and you can establish to the VA that your PTSD is the cause of your migraines, you could be eligible for a VA rating for migraines secondary to PTSD.
Studies have shown veterans may be more likely to experience migraines than their non-veteran counterparts, especially those who deployed overseas during their service.
Neil Woods
Neil Woods is a VA disability attorney and the owner and president of Woods & Woods. He received his law degree from Western Michigan University.
