hypertension Hypertension....

[rpowell01]

Since the onset of my current issues with my cervical, thoracic and lumbar stuff I now have hypertension. I have filed a claim as Hypertension secondary to Cervical, Thoraic and Lumbar. So the VA sent me the usual form asking me to provide evidence this existed from the military. I have found some clinical studies on the internet showing Chronic Long Term pain does cause Hypertension. Keep in mind I don't have any cholestrol nor heart problems. I can feel whenever my BP goes up because I am in pain and my wife tells me everytime my face turns red. I can't believe they haven't prescribed anything for this from the VA because everytime I go see them they put me on a EKG because of my BP is high. I told them I don't have anything wrong with my heart and its all coming from the pain I have endured since January 2010.

If I submit all the research I found about Chronic Pain and hypertension I printed from the internet would this help? I have already pain a lot of $$$ for an IME/IMO to connect my Cervical DDD, thoraic and lumbar issues to the Cervical Spine Pain diagnosis but I am not going to pay that much just for relating my hypertension. I will say this that by looking at my medical records that my BP has always been great up until January 2010 and from there it and gradually gone up the last 3 years. I a couple of opinions.

Hopefully on my next visit they will give me something for it...

[71M10]

You are going to need a nexus letter/statement from a physician. The other thing that you need to prepare for is the easy routes that VA will take to deny. They will seek to state the hypertension is the result of a NSC condition. If you have gained weight have the clinician mention in your nexus if the weight gain is related to your SC condition. Another thing you need to do is double check all your perscriptions and determine if any of them cause or worsen hypertension. The line that the VA loves to use is "Hypertension caused by pain is transitory(temporary)" they don't want to recognize that some of us are in significant pain the majority of our day!

Good luck!