YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Rectum and Anus, Stricture VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Rectum and Anus, Stricture under diagnostic code 7333, in 38 CFR § 4.114 (digestive system), and the schedule provides four evaluation levels for it: 100%, 60%, 30% and 10%.
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A CLEARER PATH FORWARD
Make sense of your next step.
01Understand the rating02Know what to gather03Plan your preparationTHE ESSENTIALS
How the VA rates Rectum and Anus, Stricture
Narrowing of the rectal canal, often from surgery, radiation, or chronic inflammation.
DC 7333 is measured, not described. Three of its four evaluations turn on how much the lumen is narrowed and what that narrowing does during defecation: luminal narrowing with or without straining that is managed by dietary intervention is 10 percent; reduction of the lumen by less than 50 percent with straining during defecation is 30 percent; and reduction of the lumen 50 percent or more, with pain and straining during defecation, is 60 percent. The 100 percent evaluation is an inability to open the anus together with an inability to expel solid feces. Note (1) puts two functional conditions under this same code — dyssynergic defecation (levator ani) and anismus (functional constipation) — so the code is not limited to anatomical scarring. Note (2) directs that an ostomy be evaluated as Intestine, large, resection of (DC 7329).
- Diagnostic code
- 7333
- Rating schedule
- 38 CFR § 4.114
- Schedule levels
- 100%, 60%, 30% and 10%
How does the VA choose a rating level?
Which level applies is set by the criteria the evidence meets, not by the diagnosis. Where there is a question as to which of two evaluations applies, 38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher one if the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating.
This code prints no 0% row. Under 38 CFR § 4.31, a 0% evaluation is assigned where the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met.
EXPLORE THE PERCENTAGES
Rectum and Anus, Stricture VA rating criteria (DC 7333)
Choose a percentage to see what that level means. Open the full comparison to read all the criteria in one place.
These are published rating criteria. Selecting a level does not predict your VA decision.
IN THE REGULATION’S OWN WORDS
What 38 CFR also says about Rectum and Anus, Stricture
The notes 38 CFR Part 4 prints with these criteria, quoted. They govern how the evaluation is made without being a rating level themselves.
- “Note (1): Conditions rated under this code include dyssynergic defecation (levator ani) and anismus (functional constipation).”DC 7333
- “Note (2): Evaluate an ostomy as Intestine, large, resection of (DC 7329).”DC 7333
BUILD YOUR EVIDENCE, ONE PIECE AT A TIME
Evidence for your Rectum and Anus, Stricture claim
A long list feels easier when you have a place to start. Use this checklist to see what you have and what still needs gathering.
Check off what you’ve gathered. Progress stays on this page until you leave or refresh.
THE EXAM FORM
Which DBQ is used for Rectum and Anus, Stricture?
VA's page says: “You can use these forms to submit medical evidence from your health care providers.”
Source: VA: Public Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs), read September 18, 2026.
SMALL DETAILS. BETTER PREPARATION.
Preparing your Rectum and Anus, Stricture claim
Start with the practical tips, then explore the common oversights. You don’t need to work through everything at once.
Practical tips for your claim4 tips
- 01
Ask that the examination or endoscopy report state the degree of luminal narrowing, ideally as a percentage. Whether the reduction is less than 50 percent or 50 percent or more is the single fact separating 30 from 60 percent.
- 02
Have the record say whether defecation involves straining, pain, or both, since the 30 percent row names straining and the 60 percent row names pain and straining together.
- 03
If dietary intervention is what manages the narrowing, get that documented — it is what the 10 percent row describes.
- 04
If the diagnosis is dyssynergic defecation or anismus rather than an anatomical stricture, Note (1) places it under this same code.
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind2 tips
- 01
Failing to note how the condition impacts defecation specifically.
- 02
Not distinguishing the stricture from a condition like IBS, which is rated differently.
Common filing mistakes2 tips
- 01
No GI imaging submitted to confirm the diagnosis.
- 02
Relying only on self-report without objective clinical findings.
When symptoms may first appear1 tips
- 01
Rectal strictures commonly develop after anorectal surgery or radiation treatment.
THE BROADER PICTURE
Rectum and Anus, Stricture by the numbers
- Approval outlook
- Low–Moderate, higher with surgical notes.
- Veterans service-connected
- ~600 veterans
- Typical rating awarded
- ~10%
Vetrify editorial estimates informed by VA published claims data (VBA Annual Benefits Report) and the VA rating schedule, not official VA statistics.
LET’S CLEAR A FEW THINGS UP
Common questions about Rectum and Anus, Stricture
Is Rectum and Anus, Stricture a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Rectum and Anus, Stricture under VASRD diagnostic code 7333 (Digestive System). Narrowing of the rectal canal, often from surgery, radiation, or chronic inflammation.
What VA disability rating can I get for Rectum and Anus, Stricture?
Possible VA ratings for Rectum and Anus, Stricture are 100%, 60%, 30%, 10%, 0%. The 0% level comes from 38 CFR 4.31, which assigns it wherever no compensable level is met. Examples: 100%: Inability to open the anus with inability to expel solid feces; 60%: Reduction of the lumen 50% or more, with pain and straining during defecation; 30%: Reduction of the lumen by less than 50%, with straining during defecation.
What's the typical VA rating awarded for Rectum and Anus, Stricture?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Rectum and Anus, Stricture at around 10%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 600 veterans are service-connected for Rectum and Anus, Stricture. Estimated approval outlook: Low–Moderate, higher with surgical notes.
What evidence helps prove Rectum and Anus, Stricture for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Rectum and Anus, Stricture claim includes: An endoscopy, imaging or examination report that quantifies the reduction of the lumen, since the tiers are set at less than 50 percent and at 50 percent or more; Clinical notes recording whether defecation involves straining, pain, or an inability to expel solid feces; Documentation of any dietary intervention prescribed to manage the narrowing, which the 10 percent row names.
Which DBQ is used for Rectum and Anus, Stricture?
VA's Rectum & Anus Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) is on its public list of DBQs. VA's page says: "You can use these forms to submit medical evidence from your health care providers."
What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Rectum and Anus, Stricture?
Common pitfalls when filing for Rectum and Anus, Stricture: No GI imaging submitted to confirm the diagnosis; Relying only on self-report without objective clinical findings.
What conditions can be secondary to Rectum and Anus, Stricture?
Conditions that can be service-connected as secondary to Rectum and Anus, Stricture, when a medical opinion links them, include: Hemorrhoids. A secondary condition gets its own rating, which VA combines with the veteran's other ratings under 38 CFR 4.25.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.114, Schedule of ratings, digestive system (Diagnostic Code 7333)
- 38 CFR § 4.7, higher of two evaluations
- 38 CFR § 4.31, zero percent evaluations
Criteria in quotation marks are the regulation’s own words; everything else on this page is Vetrify’s summary of it. The eCFR text is authoritative. See how Vetrify derives its numbers.
How these figures are checked: our methodology and the open dataset.
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