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Degenerative Disc Disease (Cervical Spine) is rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under DC 5243 of 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5242 across 10 severity tiers (10% / 20% / 30% / 40% / 50%…). Service connection requires (1) a current diagnosis, (2) an in-service event, injury, or exposure, and (3) a medical nexus opinion linking the two under 38 C.F.R. § 3.303. This condition is frequently rated as secondary to Cervical Radiculopathy or Cervical Myelopathy under 38 C.F.R. § 3.310.
Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease is age- and injury-related deterioration of the intervertebral discs of the neck (C2-C7), in which the discs lose hydration and height, the anulus weakens or tears, and adjacent vertebral bodies develop osteophytes and facet/uncovertebral arthrosis. It commonly produces axial neck pain, reduced and painful cervical motion, stiffness, muscle spasm or guarding, and headaches; when a disc protrusion or foraminal narrowing compresses a nerve root it causes cervical radiculopathy with arm pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness, and severe central stenosis can rarely cause myelopathy. VA evaluates the orthopedic neck disability under 38 CFR 4.71a using the General Rating Formula for the Spine, with the intervertebral-disc-syndrome (incapacitating episodes) method available under DC 5243 when it yields a higher rating.
Rating criteria reference 38 C.F.R. Part 4 (Schedule for Rating Disabilities). This entry has not yet undergone editorial review against the live regulation text — consult the authoritative source directly before relying on the criteria shown.