VA Disability: Bulging or Herniated Disc

Reviewed by Jonathan Teplitsky · Updated June 2026

How does the VA rate a bulging disc?

The VA rates a bulging or herniated disc under 38 CFR § 4.71a, the same section it uses for all spine conditions. It scores your disc two different ways - the General Rating Formula for the Spine (based on how far your spine bends) and the Formula for Intervertebral Disc Syndrome, or IVDS (based on doctor-ordered bed rest). The VA then assigns whichever rating is higher. Most veterans with a single disc bulge land between 10% and 40%. You may also qualify for a separate rating for nerve pain, which is added on top.

The General Spine Formula (range of motion)

This formula looks at how far your lower back bends forward (forward flexion) and your combined range of motion. An examiner measures these with a goniometer at your C&P exam. Lower numbers mean a higher rating.

The IVDS Formula (incapacitating episodes)

The second path counts incapacitating episodes - periods of physician-prescribed bed rest - over the past 12 months. This is rated under DC 5243. Only bed rest a doctor actually ordered in your records counts.

The VA runs both tables and gives you the higher number. If your bed rest adds up to 6 weeks, IVDS gives you 60% - more than most range-of-motion scores. If you barely lose motion but have severe episodes, IVDS may win. If you have stiffness but no bed rest, the General Formula wins.

Radiculopathy is rated separately - and added

This is the point most veterans miss. When a disc presses on a nerve, the pain, numbness, or weakness that shoots into your leg is called radiculopathy. The VA rates radiculopathy separately under DC 8520 (sciatic nerve) and adds it to your spine rating. It is not part of the disc rating itself.

That means a veteran with a 20% spine rating plus 20% radiculopathy in each leg can combine to a much higher total. If your decision letter rated only the disc and ignored leg symptoms, you may be leaving points on the table. Read our full guide to lower-extremity radiculopathy to see how the nerve ratings work.

VA disability rating for general back pain

Back pain does not need a confirmed disc bulge, or any single named diagnosis, to be ratable. Under the General Rating Formula above, any thoracolumbar spine condition - whatever the underlying cause - is scored the same way: by how far you can bend forward, your combined range of motion, and whether muscle spasm or guarding is present. So a veteran with chronic lower back pain and a normal-looking MRI can still qualify for a 10% or 20% rating if a C&P exam documents restricted flexion or an abnormal gait or spinal contour from guarding. The label on your diagnosis matters less than what the exam actually measures.

Degenerative disc disease (DDD)

Degenerative disc disease describes the gradual, age- and wear-related breakdown of the cushioning discs between your vertebrae, usually at more than one spinal level. Unlike an acute bulging or herniated disc from a single injury, DDD develops over years and is documented by imaging showing disc space narrowing, bone spurs, or multi-level degeneration. The VA rates DDD under the same 38 CFR § 4.71a formulas as a bulging disc - range of motion or incapacitating episodes, whichever is higher - so a DDD diagnosis is not a lesser claim, it simply describes a different cause of the same rateable spine condition. See our dedicated degenerative disc disease guide for more detail.

Sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction

The sacroiliac joints connect the base of the spine to the pelvis, and dysfunction there causes lower back and buttock pain that is frequently confused with a disc problem. The VA does not have a diagnostic code specifically named "SI joint dysfunction" - it is rated by analogy under the same General Rating Formula for the Spine used for a bulging disc, based on the limitation of motion and muscle spasm or guarding the condition actually causes in the lumbar spine and pelvis. A veteran filing for SI joint pain should push for imaging (X-ray, CT, or a diagnostic injection) that documents the joint as the pain source, since that evidence is what ties the symptoms to a specific, ratable diagnosis rather than vague low back pain.

Cervical spine (neck) conditions

Neck pain and cervical disc problems are rated under the same General Rating Formula for the Spine as the lower back, just measured at the cervical segment instead of the thoracolumbar segment. Forward flexion of the neck, combined cervical range of motion, and any muscle spasm or guarding drive the percentage, and a cervical disc can also qualify for the IVDS incapacitating-episodes path described above. Cervical radiculopathy - nerve pain radiating into the arm or hand from a pinched neck nerve - is rated separately from the neck itself, under the appropriate upper-extremity nerve code, and added to your cervical spine rating the same way lower-extremity radiculopathy is added to a lumbar rating.

How a bulging disc differs from related conditions

The VA treats these as distinct injuries, even though they all use 38 CFR § 4.71a:

• Bulging or herniated disc - an acute, specific disc injury, usually confirmed on an MRI. That is this page.
• Degenerative disc disease - gradual, age-related wear across multiple discs over years. See degenerative disc disease.
• Lumbar spine strain - a soft-tissue muscle and ligament injury, not a disc problem. See lumbar spine strain.

Filing the right condition matters. A disc bulge documented on imaging is harder for the VA to deny than a strain, and it opens the IVDS bed-rest path that a strain alone does not.

Secondary conditions to spine conditions

A service-connected spine condition - whether it is a bulging disc, DDD, SI joint dysfunction, a lumbosacral or lumbar strain, or a diagnosis of intervertebral disc syndrome - commonly causes downstream problems the VA will rate as secondary conditions. Radiculopathy in the arms or legs, described above, is the most common. Beyond that, a painful or restricted spine frequently changes how a veteran walks or sits, contributing to secondary hip or knee conditions, and chronic spine pain is also a well-recognized cause of secondary depression, anxiety, or sleep disorders. Neck pain has its own secondary pattern, including headaches and upper-extremity radiculopathy. Building a secondary claim on top of a spine rating usually requires a nexus letter connecting the two conditions.

Evidence that wins a disc claim

Build your file around four things:

• MRI showing the disc bulge or herniation and the level (for example, L5-S1).
• Range-of-motion measurements taken with a goniometer.
• Records of incapacitating episodes - doctor's notes ordering bed rest, with dates.
• Neurological findings - reflex, strength, and sensation tests showing nerve involvement.

If your disc traces to an in-service event, a nexus letter tying the injury to your service is strong support.

How to file and what to expect at the C&P exam

File your claim and list both the disc and any leg symptoms. The VA will schedule a Compensation & Pension (C&P) exam. The examiner measures your forward flexion and combined motion, checks reflexes and strength for nerve damage, and reviews any prescribed bed rest. Their report drives your rating, so describe your worst days honestly. You can estimate your combined number with our VA disability rating calculator before you file.

Quick answers