VASRD 5025 · Musculoskeletal
Fibromyalgia VA Disability Rating
Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition marked by widespread musculoskeletal pain and tender points, usually with fatigue, unrefreshing sleep, stiffness and cognitive fog. VA rates it under DC 5025, and the percentage turns on how much of the time the pain is present and whether medication or therapy controls it — not on how many joints are involved.
VA Rating Tiers
How the VA Evaluates Fibromyalgia
DC 5025 covers "Fibromyalgia (fibrositis, primary fibromyalgia syndrome)". All three evaluations share one qualifying picture: "With widespread musculoskeletal pain and tender points, with or without associated fatigue, sleep disturbance, stiffness, paresthesias, headache, irritable bowel symptoms, depression, anxiety, or Raynaud's-like symptoms." The percentages then separate on frequency and response to treatment: 40 percent where the symptoms "are constant, or nearly so, and refractory to therapy"; 20 percent where they "are episodic, with exacerbations often precipitated by environmental or emotional stress or by overexertion, but ... are present more than one-third of the time"; 10 percent where they "require continuous medication for control." The code's Note defines the threshold term: "Widespread pain means pain in both the left and right sides of the body, that is both above and below the waist, and that affects both the axial skeleton (i.e., cervical spine, anterior chest, thoracic spine, or low back) and the extremities." Pain confined to one region therefore does not qualify under DC 5025 however severe it is; it is rated under the code for that region. Note that this is not an arthritis code — degenerative arthritis of multiple joints is DC 5003, and inflammatory multi-joint arthritis as an active process is DC 5002.
Approval outlook
Moderate – requires detailed symptom tracking and treatment history.
Veterans service-connected
~8,300 veterans
Typical rating awarded
~20%
Vetrify editorial estimates informed by VA published claims data (VBA Annual Benefits Report) and the VA rating schedule — not official VA statistics.
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Best Evidence to Gather
- •A rheumatologist's or primary care provider's diagnosis.
- •Documentation of tender points identified during a physical exam.
- •A symptom journal or pain log showing the pattern and frequency of flares over time.
Strategy Tips
- •Keep detailed pain logs and a treatment history, since without a single confirming test, a consistent, well-documented pattern over time is what substantiates this diagnosis.
- •Get labs and imaging done to rule out other causes, since part of this diagnosis is specifically excluding conditions that would explain the pain differently.
C&P Exam Pitfalls
- •No exclusion of other disorders in the record, since ruling out alternative explanations is part of establishing this specific diagnosis.
- •Lack of documentation showing how the condition has responded, or not responded, to treatment.
Common Filing Mistakes
- •Only listing pain without showing the pattern (frequency, distribution, constancy) that this diagnosis depends on.
- •No history of medication or therapy use included, which is directly tied to the rating tiers.
Onset Patterns
- •This condition typically develops gradually, with daily pain flares that can be triggered or worsened by physical or emotional stress.
Secondary Conditions
Conditions commonly linked to Fibromyalgia. Service-connecting a secondary condition can increase your combined rating.
Common questions about Fibromyalgia
- Is Fibromyalgia a VA-rated disability?
- Yes. The VA rates Fibromyalgia under VASRD diagnostic code 5025 (Musculoskeletal). Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition marked by widespread musculoskeletal pain and tender points, usually with fatigue, unrefreshing sleep, stiffness and cognitive fog. VA rates it under DC 5025, and the percentage turns on how much…
- What VA disability rating can I get for Fibromyalgia?
- Possible VA ratings for Fibromyalgia are 40%, 20%, 10%. Examples: 40%: Constant or near-constant widespread pain that treatment does not control; 20%: Flares triggered by stress or overexertion, present more than a third of the time; 10%: Symptoms controlled, but only with continuous medication.
- What's the typical VA rating awarded for Fibromyalgia?
- Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Fibromyalgia at around 20%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 8,300 veterans are service-connected for Fibromyalgia. Estimated approval outlook: Moderate – requires detailed symptom tracking and treatment history.
- What evidence helps prove Fibromyalgia for VA disability?
- Strong evidence for a Fibromyalgia claim includes: A rheumatologist's or primary care provider's diagnosis.; Documentation of tender points identified during a physical exam.; A symptom journal or pain log showing the pattern and frequency of flares over time..
- What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Fibromyalgia?
- Common pitfalls when filing for Fibromyalgia: Only listing pain without showing the pattern (frequency, distribution, constancy) that this diagnosis depends on.; No history of medication or therapy use included, which is directly tied to the rating tiers..
- What conditions are commonly secondary to Fibromyalgia?
- Conditions often service-connected as secondary to Fibromyalgia include: Chronic Fatigue, Depression. Filing for secondary conditions can increase a veteran's combined VA rating.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.71a — Schedule of ratings — musculoskeletal system (Diagnostic Code 5025)
Rating criteria on this page are an educational summary of the cited regulation — the eCFR text is authoritative. See how Vetrify derives its numbers.
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