![]() ![]() Is restless legs syndrome considered a VA disability? For details on service connections, see What is a service-connected disability?.For details on filing a claim for PTSD, see How To File a VA Claim for PTSD.Additional PTSD and Service Connection Resources If veterans are experiencing insomnia, movements during sleep, nightmares, or tiredness during the day, then a diagnosis of RLS may help speed up treatment and relieve these symptoms, as well as to support a VA rating for restless legs syndrome and for other sleep disorders. This means that it’s highly recommended that all veterans with PTSD who are also struggling with sleep be evaluated for RLS. A 2018 study by the Journal of Trauma & Treatment found seven out of 31 males veterans suffered from RLS along with PTSD. Some people can also experience restless legs syndrome as a symptom of PTSD. They also may experience reactive symptoms such as irritability, outbursts of anger, or difficulty concentrating or sleeping. These feelings can cause people experiencing PTSD to avoid things that remind them of the event. These flashbacks can lead to intense feelings of guilt, fear, horror, and shame. People can experience past events in vivid detail and have negative thoughts and feelings because of the trauma they experienced. PTSD occurs in people who’ve experienced a traumatic event such as: ![]() One way to get a VA rating for restless legs syndrome is to link it to a mental health issue such as PTSD. For example, one potential cause of restless legs syndrome can be post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Restless legs syndrome can be secondary to mental health issue and linked to a mental health diagnosis. End-stage renal disease (and hemodialysis)Ĭan mental health issues cause restless legs syndrome?.Alcohol, nicotine, or caffeine consumption.Cold and allergy drugs with older antihistamines.Antidepressants that increase serotonin.Dysfunction in part of the brain (basal ganglia).In most cases, the causes of your restless legs syndrome are unknown, though it could be related to the following underlying conditions: It can also help you service-connect your restless legs syndrome with your military service (or secondary to a service-connected issue) so that you can get a rating for it. This conversation can help lead to appropriate treatment options (since there is no known cure for RLS). Disruptive sleep can lead to exhaustion and other medical problems that negatively affect a veteran’s daily life.Īfter you’ve received your diagnosis from a physician, it’s helpful to discuss what could be the cause of your condition. These symptoms often occur on both sides of the body and worsen when you sit or lie down, making it challenging to log quality sleep regularly. RLS often causes difficulty in falling or staying asleep, one of the most common complaints of the disease. Symptoms are not solely accounted for by another condition (leg cramps, positional discomfort, leg swelling, or arthritis).Symptoms worsen in the evening or night or only occur in the evening or nighttime hours when a person is less active.Symptoms improve during activity, such as stretching or walking, at least as long as the activity continues.Symptoms often start or worsen when you are resting or inactive, such as when sitting or lying down.An overwhelming urge to move your legs (sometimes arms and trunk), usually due to uncomfortable sensations in the legs.Restless legs syndrome is often characterized by the following: More than 1.5 million veterans are currently receiving disability benefits for the condition.Restless legs syndrome (RLS), also called Willis-Edbom disease, is a neurological and sleep disorder that affects millions of people every year. Similarly, veterans diagnosed with tinnitus - a high-pitched ringing caused by damage to the ears - would face a higher bar for higher levels of disability compensation. Veterans would receive ratings of 10 percent or more for sleep apnea “only when treatment is either ineffective or the veteran is unable to use the prescribed treatment due to comorbid conditions.” Currently, veterans can receive a rating of 10 percent or more for the condition even if treatments are effective at dealing with the condition. Under proposed changes outlined in the Federal Register on Tuesday, VA officials for the first time could offer a “0 percent evaluation” for asymptomatic sleep apnea, allowing the department to formally acknowledge a veteran’s condition without requiring any compensation if the condition is easily controlled with treatment. The number of veterans receiving compensation for sleep apnea - interrupted breathing during sleep - has risen sharply in recent years, from less than 1 million individuals in fiscal 2015 to more than 1.3 million in fiscal 2019, according to the department’s inspector general. ![]()
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