10%
Highest listed pathwayMild.
Review CFR criteria, examples, and evidence
- Official CFR language
- Mild.
- What the published criteria say
- Mild.
Reference: 38 CFR 4.124a, DC 8205
What is the VA rating for Trigeminal Neuralgia?
Rated based on severe intractable facial shock pain.
Condition Overview & Clinical ScopeClick to expand
Rated based on severe intractable facial shock pain.
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Overview
About this condition
Rated based on severe intractable facial shock pain.
Regulatory authority: 38 CFR 4.124a, DC 8205
Educational guide.
Percentage Guides
Understanding Your Percentage
Select a pathway to see what the published criteria ask about, what records may clarify it, and what should not be assumed.
30%
Highest listed pathwayModerate.
Review CFR criteria, examples, and evidence
- Official CFR language
- Moderate.
- What the published criteria say
- Moderate.
50%
Highest listed pathwaySevere or incapacitating.
Review CFR criteria, examples, and evidence
- Official CFR language
- Severe or incapacitating.
- What the published criteria say
- Severe.
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Understand the details behind the criteria
Use these short guides to connect published terms with the records and observations that may clarify them.
Trigeminal nerve sensory distribution and trigger points
Trigeminal neuralgia involves severe, sudden, electric shock-like facial pain along the pathways of the fifth cranial nerve, often triggered by light touch, chewing, or temperature changes.
- The fifth cranial nerve has three sensory branches: ophthalmic (forehead and eye), maxillary (cheek and upper jaw), and mandibular (lower jaw and chin).
- Evaluation under the trigeminal nerve criteria focuses on the degree of sensory impairment or motor loss. Clinical records describing pain episodes, sensory findings, and motor function can provide context for that evaluation.
- Clinical notes documenting specific trigger activities, daily attack frequency, and medication trials (such as carbamazepine or gabapentin) provide objective evidence of severity.
Records to review: Neurology examination records documenting trigger zones and pain distribution; Medication history showing doses and effectiveness of anticonvulsant or neuropathic agents; MRI imaging reports ruling out compressive lesions or structural causes.
Evidence
Evidence that may clarify the published criteria
VA forms and DBQs (from VA.gov)
Downloadable DBQs & Supporting Claim Forms
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Terminology
Plain-English terms
Common Questions
Questions veterans commonly ask
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Trigeminal Neuralgia is evaluated under the Cranial Nerves assessment
RatingScope compares Trigeminal Neuralgia records using the published criteria in the Cranial Nerves assessment. Compare your documented records against the criteria.
Informational guidance only. RatingScope does not predict, decide, or guarantee VA outcomes.
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Secondary conditions
Conditions commonly connected to Trigeminal Neuralgia
No commonly documented secondary connections are tracked for Trigeminal Neuralgia yet.
Educational Guides & Evidence Resources
In-depth analysis of DBQ forms, medical evidence thresholds, and rating schedules for Trigeminal Neuralgia.
Paralysis, Neuritis, & Neuralgia: How VA Selects Nerve Diagnostic Codes
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Compare a percentage level and combined-rating math, or review evidence context.
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