VA Rating for Bowel Incontinence
Getting a VA Rating for Bowel Incontinence
Bowel incontinence, the involuntary loss of bowel control, is a common but often overlooked issue affecting many veterans. Veterans can receive a rating for bowel incontinence based on the severity and frequency of leakage episodes.
Bowel incontinence is a widespread but underreported health condition in veterans. In a recent study, more than 200 veterans awaiting medical appointments were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire. Roughly a third of those surveyed reported experiencing bowel incontinence within the last 30 days.
Read on to learn more about the bowel incontinence VA rating, related conditions veterans with bowel incontinence may be able to service connect, and what you can do if your incontinence keeps you from working.
Bowel incontinence in veterans
Bowel incontinence, also known as fecal incontinence, is a medical condition characterized by the inability to control bowel movements. Veterans with this disability are unable to stop stool from leaking from the rectum, and it can happen even without their knowledge. The severity of this condition can range from occasional leakage when passing gas to complete loss of control of stool.
This disability occurs due to various factors, including weakened muscles in the rectum and anus, nerve damage affecting bowel control, or frequent bouts of diarrhea or constipation.
To successfully establish a service connection for bowel incontinence, you must prove your military service or your service-connected disabilities caused or aggravated your condition. Due to the unique conditions of military service, veterans are particularly at risk for developing bowel incontinence. For example, any training or combat injuries that resulted in damage to the pelvic floor, rectum, or the nerves and muscles that control bowel movements could lead to bowel incontinence. Fecal leakage can also be a symptom of other service-connected disabilities.
Bowel incontinence and related conditions
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One
Viral infections like hepatitis A, B, or C
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Two
Issues with your immune system
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Three
Genetic conditions
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Four
Obesity
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Five
Cancer
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Six
Consumption of or exposure to large amounts of toxins
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Seven
Jaundice or a yellowing of the skin and eyes
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Eight
Abdominal pain and swelling
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Nine
Bruising easily
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Ten
Changes in the color of urine (dark) or stool (light)
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Eleve
Chronic fatigue
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Twelve
Loss of appetite, nausea, or vomiting
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Thirteen
Swelling in your limbs
Veterans with various service-connected conditions who experience bowel incontinence may be eligible for additional benefits through a secondary service connection.
Bowel incontinence secondary to irritable bowel syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a gastrointestinal disorder that affects the large intestine, causing symptoms like abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, and changes in bowel habits. When a person has IBS, their bowel habits can become unpredictable. Episodes of diarrhea and constipation are common, which puts additional stress on the muscles and nerves that control bowel movements. The persistent diarrhea and constant changes in stool consistency associated with IBS can make it difficult for the anal sphincter to function correctly and weaken the muscles in the rectum and anus over time. Weaker muscles are less capable of holding stool, leading to bowel incontinence incidents.
Bowel incontinence secondary to multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a condition that affects the central nervous system. In MS, the body’s immune system mistakenly targets its own central nervous system, particularly the protective layer around nerve fibers known as the myelin sheath.
In veterans with MS, bowel incontinence can result from damage to the nerves that control your rectum and anus. This nerve damage can make it hard to hold stool, leading to leakage. MS can also cause constipation, which can cause the rectum to be less effective at holding stool.
Bowel incontinence secondary to diabetes
Diabetes is a condition characterized by elevated blood sugar levels, which can lead to numerous life-threatening health complications if not managed properly. The relationship between diabetes and bowel incontinence is not fully understood. However, there are several factors related to diabetes that may contribute to incontinence. Nerve damage, commonly seen in veterans with diabetes, may affect the nerves that help you control both bowel and bladder movements, causing incontinence. Medications that manage diabetes can also have side effects like diarrhea, which can make bowel control more challenging.
Bowel incontinence secondary to back conditions
Bowel incontinence can be related to back conditions, which are common issues for veterans because of the physical demands of military service. Conditions like degenerative disc disease, herniated discs, and spinal stenosis are some examples of back problems that can potentially lead to bowel incontinence.
In one case, a veteran linked his bowel incontinence to a lumbar degenerative disc disease he developed during his military service. His degenerative disc disease was the primary service-connected disability. The neurological damage from this spinal issue caused bowel incontinence, which was then connected on a secondary basis.
Bowel incontinence secondary to prostate cancer
In men, prostate cancer from exposure to Agent Orange or other dangerous herbicides can also lead to bowel incontinence. This may be due to nerve damage symptoms or a side effect of cancer treatment, which might involve radiation that damages the rectum.
Bowel incontinence and mental health
While it may seem like a purely physical issue, bowel incontinence can also significantly impact emotional well-being. The inability to control your bowels can be isolating and deeply stigmatizing, often causing veterans to avoid social activities. The embarrassment may even lead to a hesitation to seek medical treatment, leading to worse symptoms. The condition may severely impact a veteran’s mental health and aggravate conditions like PTSD or anxiety, which are already common among veterans.
Bowel incontinence VA rating
The VA rates bowel incontinence under diagnostic code 7332 in the Schedule of Ratings, which addresses the impairment of sphincter control. Under this code, the disability rating is assigned based on the frequency and severity of your bowel incontinence episodes.
| Description | VA Rating | Monthly payment (vet only) |
|---|---|---|
| Complete loss of sphincter control characterized by incontinence or retention that is not responsive to a physician-prescribed bowel program and requires either surgery or digital stimulation, medication (beyond laxative use), and special diet; or incontinence to solids and/or liquids two or more times per day, which requires changing a pad two or more times per day | 100% | $3,831.30 |
| Complete or partial loss of sphincter control characterized by incontinence or retention that is partially responsive to a physician-prescribed bowel program and requires either surgery or digital stimulation, medication (beyond laxative use), and special diet; or incontinence to solids and/or liquids two or more times per week, which requires wearing a pad two or more times per week. | 60% | $1,395.93 |
| Complete or partial loss of sphincter control characterized by incontinence or retention that is fully responsive to a physician-prescribed bowel program and requires digital stimulation, medication (beyond laxative use), and special diet; or incontinence to solids and/or liquids two or more times per month, which requires wearing a pad two or more times per month | 30% | $537.42 |
| Complete or partial loss of sphincter control characterized by incontinence or retention that is fully responsive to a physician-prescribed bowel program and requires medication or special diet; or incontinence to solids and/or liquids at least once every six months, which requires wearing a pad at least once every six months | 10% | $175.51 |
| History of loss of sphincter control, currently asymptomatic | 0% | None |