C&p Nurse Practicioner - Advanced Lumbar Facet....

[Yellowstone Electrician]

Wondering the following: was a shipboard electrician from 1983-1987. I lifted & carried many heavy items such as boat batteries, shorepower cables & motors. I complained a few times of left lower back & left knee pain at ship medical.

In 1997 had an MRI diagnosis of mild lumbar facet arthritis on same left side. Problem had aggravated me since exiting the service. I regret that I neither know the name of the chiropracter shortly after service (in Norfolk, VA) nor had a family doctor until 1995 (now out of business & cannot find records).

All that I was able to offer the "claim" was the 1997 MRI. HOWEVER

On 4/12/2007, I had a C&P with a nurse practicioner. Past two years' medications: Salsalate, Tramadol & Gabapentin. During C&P, back locked up (loud popping noise) after twisting thus practically no forward or backward flexion. A return to nerve root impingement in left leg with difficulty detecting pin prick sharp or dull sensations in same leg.

Not sure if I will be diagnosed after X-ray with Spondylolisthesis or continued lumbar facet sydrome. Either way if I am okayed, any idea how I may rate?

[Yellowstone Electrician]

Wondering the following: was a shipboard electrician from 1983-1987. I lifted & carried many heavy items such as boat batteries, shorepower cables & motors. I complained a few times of left lower back & left knee pain at ship medical.

In 1997 had an MRI diagnosis of mild lumbar facet arthritis on same left side. Problem had aggravated me since exiting the service. I regret that I neither know the name of the chiropracter shortly after service (in Norfolk, VA) nor had a family doctor until 1995 (now out of business & cannot find records).

All that I was able to offer the "claim" was the 1997 MRI. HOWEVER WHILE

On 4/12/2007, I had a C&P with a nurse practicioner. Past two years' medications: Salsalate, Tramadol & Gabapentin. During C&P, back locked up (loud popping noise) after twisting thus practically no forward or backward flexion. A return to nerve root impingement in left leg with difficulty detecting pin prick sharp or dull sensations in same leg.

Not sure if I will be diagnosed after X-ray with Spondylolisthesis or continued lumbar facet sydrome. Either way if I am okayed, any idea how I may rate?

[Yellowstone Electrician]

Wondering the following: was a shipboard electrician from 1983-1987. I lifted & carried many heavy items such as boat batteries, shorepower cables & motors. I complained a few times of left lower back & left knee pain at ship medical.

In 1997 had an MRI diagnosis of mild lumbar facet arthritis on same left side. Problem had aggravated me since exiting the service. I regret that I neither know the name of the chiropracter shortly after service (in Norfolk, VA) nor had a family doctor until 1995 (now out of business & cannot find records).

Past two years VA's medications: Salsalate, Tramadol & Gabapentin.

All that I was able to offer my "claim" was the 1997 MRI.

HOWEVER WHILE IN THE C&P EXAM on 4/12/07 with a nurse practicioner my lower back locked up (loud popping noise) after twisting thus practically no forward or backward flexion. Then, I returned to a nerve root impingement in left leg with difficulty detecting pin prick sharp or dull sensations in same leg. Upon leaving, I had the intermittant waddle gait abnormality.

Not sure if I will be diagnosed after X-ray with Spondylolisthesis or continued lumbar facet sydrome. Either way if I am okayed, any idea how I may rate?

Edited May 20, 2007 by Yellowstone Electrician (see edit history)

[Yellowstone Electrician]

Wondering the following: was a shipboard electrician from 1983-1987. I lifted & carried many heavy items such as boat batteries, shorepower cables & motors. I complained a few times of left lower back & left knee pain at ship medical.

In 1997 had an MRI diagnosis of mild lumbar facet arthritis on same left side. Problem had aggravated me since exiting the service. I regret that I neither know the name of the chiropracter shortly after service (in Norfolk, VA) nor had a family doctor until 1995 (now out of business & cannot find records).

All that I was able to offer the "claim" was the 1997 MRI. HOWEVER WHILE IN

On 4/12/2007, I had a C&P with a nurse practicioner. Past two years' medications: Salsalate, Tramadol & Gabapentin. During C&P, back locked up (loud popping noise) after twisting thus practically no forward or backward flexion. A return to nerve root impingement in left leg with difficulty detecting pin prick sharp or dull sensations in same leg.

Not sure if I will be diagnosed after X-ray with Spondylolisthesis or continued lumbar facet sydrome. Either way if I am okayed, any idea how I may rate?

[Berta]

Do you have your SMRs ?

The VA will need some inservice evidence of sick bay calls or medication etc to prove inservice cause of your present disability.

"I regret that I neither know the name of the chiropracter shortly after service (in Norfolk, VA) nor had a family doctor until 1995 (now out of business & cannot find records)."

It would pay you to take the time to call or write to every chiropractor in Norfolk to try to track this person down-perhaps a family member could help to remember the name.

Or even by looking in the yellow pages maybe a name or at least the address of their practice could ring a bell.

I see these records as critical to your claim. And anything else that shows this condition was continuous and you received treatment for it.

Without some proof of inservice problems, or therapy and treatment right after service ,it will be difficult to get an award on this claim.

I can imagine that the MOS you had could cause back strain and other back problems-

and could have caused sick bay documentation in your SMRs.

Without any inservice documentation in your SMRs the VA could say this was a normal rigor of your service MOS.

You didnt mention any fall or accident that caused this.

Then again VA will note that ten years passed from discharge until the 1997 MRI.

Any treatment records you have had since discharge will be needed to support this claim.

[Yellowstone Electrician]

Assume SMRs to be service military records? The only reference to these are the shipboard medical visits for the specific strains/sprains during service listed in the last email.

I have read up on lumbar facet syndrome & Grade 1 Spondylolisthesis (no diagnosis of latter yet) and both suggest that it takes years after early in life joint tear traumas for ex. (if not genetically born with predisposition) to develop arthritis in my affected joints.

The joint tears can be very tiny but if not allowed to heal, their repeated tearing & minor healing can over time develop into major arthritis.

The C&P clinician noted my post-military employments and none suggested any more work related injury potentials as the electrician shipboard service.

In 12/2005, I started using the VA healthcare at a local VA hospital. My general doctor is a pain management specialist and he assigned the 3 currently used prescriptions including depression medication (used since 1997). Thank goodness!

Since then, my back has become worse even though no motion testing was performed in 12/2005.

All in all, this will likely be a favorable or nonfavorable PRESUMPTION decision.

If favorable, can anyone help figure out the potential ratings?

Hope someone can learn from this toooo. ;o)

[Berta]

"The only reference to these are the shipboard medical visits for the specific strains/sprains during service listed in the last email. "

That is the potential nexus- (SMRs service medical records)

You did some very good research on the time factors.

"I have read up on lumbar facet syndrome & Grade 1 Spondylolisthesis (no diagnosis of latter yet) and both suggest that it takes years after early in life joint tear traumas for ex. (if not genetically born with predisposition) to develop arthritis in my affected joints. "

It is hard to know how they will rate or even diagnose this-

you can get a copy of that C & P by writing to the Records access officer of your VAMC.

The actual results will tell more as to how VA is viewing this disability.

One think for sure -they might well try to say your post service years of employment could have caused this type of disability- that is why I am glad to see you have some documentation-in the SMRs-

do you have the complete set of your SMRs? is there any else in there to support this- like change of duty due to back sprain, etc?

Another thing- I can imagine how heavy some of that stuff was- did the Mil provide you with any issue for back braces etc as safety gear to prevent sprains?

After service did any occupation you had become a possible way out for VA like- were you a crabnet fisherman in the Artic sea or an Olympic weight lifter?

Sounds funny but the VA will look at your post-service jobs to see if that is their way out on this claim and that the post service occupation caused the back problems today which were not linked to the sprains in service.

Inservice back problems are often very difficult to pinpoint as actually due to service years after the fact. But NOT impossible.

Edited May 20, 2007 by Berta (see edit history)