Degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease other than intervertebral disc syndrome (also, see either DC 5003 or 5010) (DC 5242) | VA Rating Tool
| Diagnostic Code | 5242 |
|---|---|
| Category | The Musculoskeletal System |
| Subcategory | Spine |
| Also Known As | arthritis of the spine, back pain, Degenerative arthritis, degenerative disc disease other than intervertebral disc syndrome, degenerative disc disease, lower back pain, DDD, herniated disc, bulging disc, disc disease, spinal stenosis |
| CFR Section | 38 CFR § 4.71a |
📊 What Veterans Actually Get
DDD is commonly rated at 20% for forward flexion limited to 30-60 degrees. About 40% of claimants receive this rating. Higher ratings require severe limitation or incapacitating episodes.
Next Steps for This Condition
Rating Criteria
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 100% | Unfavorable ankylosis of the entire spine |
| 50% | Unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine |
| 40% | Unfavorable ankylosis of the entire cervical spine; or, forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine 30 degrees or less; or, favorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine |
| 30% | Forward flexion of the cervical spine 15 degrees or less; or, favorable ankylosis of the entire cervical spine |
| 20% | Forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 60 degrees; or, forward flexion of the cervical spine greater than 15 degrees but not greater than 30 degrees; or, the combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine not greater than 120 degrees; or, the combined range of motion of the cervical spine not greater than 170 degrees; or, muscle spasm or guarding severe enough to result in an abnormal gait or abnormal spinal contour such as scoliosis, reversed lordosis, or abnormal kyphosis |
| 10% | Forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 60 degrees but not greater than 85 degrees; or, forward flexion of the cervical spine greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 40 degrees; or, combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 120 degrees but not greater than 235 degrees; or, combined range of motion of the cervical spine greater than 170 degrees but not greater than 335 degrees; or, muscle spasm, guarding, or localized tenderness not resulting in abnormal gait or abnormal spinal contour; or, vertebral body fracture with loss of 50 percent or more of the height |
Conditions Secondary to This
9 linksAltered gait from chronic back pain puts abnormal stress on the knees.
Long-term pain and reduced function are strongly associated with depression.
Degenerative disc disease commonly compresses the sciatic nerve and causes sciatica symptoms.
Altered gait compensation from spinal degeneration places extra stress on the hips.
Cervical degenerative changes can compress nerves affecting the arms and hands.
Lumbar nerve involvement and pain medication side effects can affect sexual function.
Pain-related gait changes can alter foot mechanics and contribute to plantar and flatfoot symptoms.
Chronic pain and worry about physical decline commonly lead to anxiety.
Pain medications can relax the airway and decreased mobility can promote weight gain that worsens sleep apnea.
This May Be Secondary To
No upstream secondary-condition mappings point to this diagnostic code yet.
Disclaimer: Secondary connections shown are based on commonly established medical links. Individual claims require medical evidence. Consult a VSO or VA-accredited attorney.