Sleep Disorders

It’s common for Veterans to experience both insomnia and ongoing irregular sleep patterns well beyond military service. After years of poor sleep, your body and mind may need to relearn how to sleep well a gain. This often requires help.

Another sleep problem many Veterans face is Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a sleep condition involving a block in the airway during sleep, causing breathing to stop. It is a serious health condition that can increase the risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and depression. One of the main symptoms of sleep apnea is loud snoring. Since people often don’t know that they snore during sleep, many people with sleep apnea don’t know that they have it. In fact, many people only talk to their doctors about their symptoms because someone close to them, such as a spouse or child, sees them having trouble breathing while they sleep. Identifying sleep apnea symptoms and diagnosing this condition is the first step in helping treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

The challenges related to sleep that many veterans across America face can often be directly linked to their time in the military. Everything from insomnia to nightmares to sleep apnea could make sleeping difficult or lead to other health complications.

VA Rating for Sleep Apnea
Pursuant to Diagnostic Code 6847, VA disability ratings for Sleep Apnea are as follows:

• The 0 percent VA rating for Sleep Apnea is warranted if you’re asymptomatic (no symptoms), but with documented sleep disorder breathing.
• The 30 percent VA disability rating for Sleep Apnea is warranted if you have persistent daytime hypersomnolence, but do not require the use of a breathing device.
• The 50 percent VA rating for Sleep Apnea is warranted if you require the use of a breathing assistance device such as a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) or Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP).
• The 100 percent VA rating for Sleep Apnea is warranted for chronic respiratory failure with carbon dioxide retention or cor pulmonale or requires tracheostomy.

Sleep Apnea is rated under diagnostic code 6847, Sleep Apnea Syndromes (Obstructive, Central, Mixed):.

If you feel you have a sleep disorder such as sleep apnea, contact us today for a free consultation.