Va Sleep Apnea Secondary Conditions

Va Sleep Apnea Secondary Conditions

Sleep Apnea secondary to Allergic Rhinitis. The veteran can then argue that their weight gain which is linked to their service-connected condition caused sleep apnea thereby establishing secondary service connection.


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In fact veterans are a shocking four times 4x as likely to have Sleep Apnea compared to the general population.

Va sleep apnea secondary conditions. Sleep Apnea secondary to Back Pain. Sleep apnea can cause veterans to wake up tired and irritable. Active duty military members have been shown to be more susceptible to sleep disorders such as sleep apnea.

If you have a service-connected injury or disability that ultimately caused sleep apnea your sleep apnea could potentially qualify for secondary service connection. We know that sleep apnea can be caused or related to other conditions common to Veterans but what about the conditions sleep apnea causes. There are a number of conditions that can get you a secondary service connection for a sleep disorder.

Sleep Apnea secondary to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ALS Sleep Apnea secondary to Anxiety. A medical diagnosis of sleep apnea confirmed by a sleep study in VA medical records or private records sleep study in past 12 months. Parkinsons Disease and many other conditions can also cause sleep apnea and other sleep disorders.

Rhinitis is a known aggravator of sleep apnea. Studies show that regardless of weight age sex or race sleep apnea symptoms are associated with the onset of depression. Many veterans with sleep apnea develop depression.

For example a veteran is taking a medication for their service-connected psychiatric condition and this medication causes weight gain. If you are service-connected for a mental health conditionsuch as PTSDDepressionAnxiety. One medical research study assessed the reported prevalence and severity of sleep disturbance in chronic tinnitus patients.

This requires that the secondary disability be proximately caused by or proximately aggravated by another service-connected disability. Veterans with both conditions are often able to service-connect both conditions and receive a VA chronic rhinitis rating and VA sleep apnea rating at the same time. By law there are three evidentiary elements that must be satisfied for sleep apnea secondary conditions to prove secondary service connection.

PTSD anxiety and depression can all cause insomnia nightmares sleep terrors and other sleep disturbances. The most common primary condition linked to sleep apnea as a secondary condition is PTSD. Sleep Apnea secondary to Asthma.

A showing of causation requires that the secondary disability be shown to be proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disability. As you do so keep in mind that sleep apnea is considered a secondary condition to asthma. Sleep Apnea Secondary to GERD VA Disability Service connection on a secondary basis requires a showing of causation.

Rhinitis can be linked to microarousals and sleep fragmentation which can worsen sleep apnea. Inconsistent sleep over a period of time can wear down a person and cause mental health conditions. Sleep Apnea can be rated secondary to Tinnitus at 0 30 50 or 100.

If you are looking to prove a service-connection on a secondary basis you will have to prove causation. The causes of sleep apnea in military members and Veterans can be related to toxin exposure such as smoke from burn pits trauma both physical and mental weight gain secondary to disabilities that prevent exercise among other things. Sleep Apnea secondary to Atrial Fibrillation.

Medical Evidence to Prove Sleep Apnea VA Disability Is Linked to Another Service Connected Disability. You can secondary-service connect sleep apnea. Heart Disease Sleep Apnea.

If you are service connected for COPD or other serious respiratory conditions you can secondary service connect sleep apnea. As mentioned before this is because people suffering from asthma will often develop new-onset sleep apnea symptoms meaning that if the two are linked asthma is the primary condition. List of 50 Sleep Apnea Secondary Conditions.

Va Disability Sleep Apnea Secondary To Ptsd

Va Disability Sleep Apnea Secondary To Ptsd

From a VA disability standpoint this means a Veteran could develop sleep apnea secondary to PTSD and would therefore be entitled to compensation. In 2020 Sleep Apnea VA ratings range from 0 to 100 with breaks at 30 and 50.


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A medical diagnosis of sleep apnea confirmed by a sleep study in VA medical records or private records sleep study in past 12 months Evidence of a service-connected primary disability such as PTSD depression anxiety sinusitis rhinitis weight gain AND.

Va disability sleep apnea secondary to ptsd. If youre wondering if youre sleep apnea may be secondary to your service-connected PTSD feel free to reach out to Todd Finnerty PsyD. The VA will reward sleep apnea secondary service-connection to PTSD now but it is not a sure thing. Scientists at the Madigan Army Medical Center have recently studied the incidence of sleep apnea in military personnel.

For example sleep deprivation insomnia hyperarousal and daytime sleepiness all affect both PTSD and sleep apnea. Thus as a veterans PTSD severity increases both the likelihood that the veteran will develop sleep apnea and or the severity of his or her sleep apnea also increases. Whats more it appears that sleep apnea can increase ones susceptibility to developing post-traumatic stress disorder.

A veterans final VA disability rating for Sleep Apnea depends upon the frequency severity and duration of symptoms meaning the more severe your symptoms the higher the VA rating for Sleep Apnea. A veteran can also establish service connection for sleep apnea on a secondary basis. While sleep apnea cannot be the cause of post-traumatic stress disorder it seems to lower a persons mental defenses making it more likely for the disorder to develop after experiencing a stressful incident such as a firefight or improvised explosive device IED detonation.

PTSD and sleep apnea have similar stressors in regards to sleep Many factors that aggravate PTSD have been shown to aggravate sleep apnea as well such as sleep deprivation chronic stress and hyperarousal. In this post we will be exploring how to get a VA Rating for Sleep Apnea. This means that a veteran has an already service-connected disability that caused the veteran to have sleep apnea.

For example sleep deprivation fragmented sleep chronic stress and hyperarousal all effect both PTSD and sleep apnea. For a records review and possible nexus letter. There is a perfectly logical explanation to say that your current service-connected PTSD aggravates Obstructive Sleep Apnea OSA specifically the side effects of medication that contributed to weight gain or Obesity which aggravated your OSA.

What is Sleep Apnea. In this case there must be a medical nexus to link the sleep apnea to their already service-connected disability. Learn about VA claims for sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD during todays CCK LIVE in Under 5.

PTSD can lead to sleep apnea. One of the most common sleep disorders for Veterans is obstructive sleep apnea. Secondary Service Connection for Sleep Apnea In order to receive VA disability benefits veterans conditions must be service-connected.

PTSD does NOT cause Sleep Apnea however PTSD and side effects of medications taken to manage PTSD symptoms can aggravate obesity weight gain leading to the development of Obstructive Sleep Apnea OSA in Veterans hence Sleep Apnea Secondary to PTSD can be granted. Research shows that veterans with PTSD have a higher risk of developing sleep apnea for which they can claim secondary service connection. Secondary Service Connection and Aggravated Weight Gain or Obesity.

The veterans sleep apnea is more likely than not secondary to his service-connected MDDPTSD. If a veteran has both of these conditions they may be entitled to VA disability benefits.