Pure Autonomic Failure
is a condition where the autonomic nervous system (the part of the
nervous system that controls the functioning of the organs) does not work properly.
Pure Autonomic Failure mostly affects blood pressure, but can affect other
functions as well. The most common symptom is dizziness or fainting because of
the blood pooling in the legs since the blood pressure is not strong enough to
push it back up to the rest of the body. There is no cure for this condition,
and it gets worse over time. It normally does not appear until at least middle
age.
Some possible nervous
system codes include:
Code 8105 - Sydenham's Chorea. Although pure autonomic failure is not caused by
an infection, Sydenham's Chorea can be degenerative, and can affect the autonomic
nervous system.
Code 8019 - Cerebrospinal Meningitis. Again, pure autonomic failure is not caused
by meningitis, but it can have many similar symptoms of meningitis, including
heart problems, seizures, etc.
There are many
possible nervous system codes. Remember, just pick the one that is closest to
your condition. Ultimately, the nervous system code does not really matter
since most nervous system codes are rated on the symptoms they cause. So,
regardless of the code chosen to represent your condition, it will still be
rated on the symptoms it causes. For example, if your condition causes high
blood pressure, it would be rated under code 7101 (hypertension). If it causes difficulty breathing, it would be rated
under code 6841 (difficulty breathing due to spinal cord damage), etc.
The final code for each
of the symptoms will look like this: 8019-7101. The first 4 digits refer to the
nervous system code that is chosen (8019: Cerebrospinal Meningitis), and the
last four refer to the particular symptom that is being rated (7101: Hypertension). This
is called an
analogous rating.
For the VA, every
symptom can be rated separately. For the DoD, only the symptoms that
independently cause you to be unable to perform your job at the time of
separation can be rated. For example, if your condition causes high blood
pressure and neck pain, then the VA will rate both. The DoD will only rate the
symptoms that interfere with your ability to do your job. So, if the neck pain
is so severe that you can’t perform your duties, it can be rated. If, however,
it is just irritating, but doesn’t really limit your abilities, then it can’t be
rated.
It can be rather
confusing, but just focus on finding and rating each of the symptoms caused by
the Pure Autonomic Failure. You can do it!
