What's The Rating For Degenerative Disc Disease Of Spine?

[PE1]

I was in a bad military parachute landing in 1993. I was on jump status for 6 years. I have x-rays and MRI of the neck, T-spine and L-spine. Have a large osteophyte in C-5, degenerative disc disease in C5-6, C-6-7 and C7-T1. Also have multiple anterior osteophytes along the T-spine. Finally, have degenerative discs in L4-5, and L5-S1.Have notes from physical therapists, Orthopedic Surgeons, Primary Care Providers and a Neurosurgeon. (if I go by the range of motion then it's only 10% for neck and 10% for lumbar spine. But if it's rated as 5003 then is it :

20% for the C-spine and

20% for the L-spine?

What happens to the T-spine.?

I don't have any bed rest in the past year.

[rentalguy1]

It will be rated as 5243, IVDS, and rated on ROM or bed rest.

[PE1]

Well, then, it's only 10% for neck and 10% for lower back. A Physical Therapist did the goniometer measurement and it's only 10% for each. What about the T-spine?

[PE1]

Does any body still prescribe bed rest for back pain? Bed rest for back pain is medicine from the 1980s. That makes rating IVDS very difficult for anyone. If the Dr is super nice and does what you ask him to do, then he'll actually prescribe bed rest but it's not good medicine.

[poolguy11550]

Does any body still prescribe bed rest for back pain? Bed rest for back pain is medicine from the 1980s. That makes rating IVDS very difficult for anyone. If the Dr is super nice and does what you ask him to do, then he'll actually prescribe bed rest but it's not good medicine.

Ask your treating DR to give you a time-off work note describing how many days he/she wants you to stay home.

[vmo]

I have been to many orthopedic, neurologist, and surgeons over the past 8 years. None of them recommended "bed rest" for my spine. When I had surgery to fuse L-5,S-1, I was told by the surgeon, to walk as much and as far each day as pain tolerated. None of the above recommended "bed rest", (which according to some is the worst thing you can do). I've said it before, I think this was just a ploy by the VA in their favor to pigeon hole spine ratings. *When I had fusion surgery, the surgeon did write a letter to get me out of work for about 8-9 weeks. However, the surgeon said "nothing" about bed rest---just walk as much and as many times per day I could tolerate.

[rentalguy1]

There are docs that will still order bed rest. I have had two of them. It is definitely a old school practice though. I would have the doc write out a lengthy period of bed rest. And be sure that he uses the actual term "bed rest," because raters are not intelligent enough to see that prescribed days off are the same thing as prescribed bed rest. I had the majority of last year as prescribed days off from my docs and the rater was kind enough to point out that I didn't have any doctor prescribed bed rest.

For VA purposes, the Thoracic spine and Lumbar spine are combined into one unit call the thoracolumbar spine.