Migraines — VA Disability Rating & Claim Guide
This is not legal or medical advice. Always consult with a VSO or accredited claims agent.
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The DBQ for Migraines
Your C&P examiner fills out DBQ 21-0960C-8 (Headaches (Including Migraine Headaches)) — the form that decides your rating. You can have your own doctor complete the same DBQ and submit it as evidence.
What the examiner measures
- Frequency of characteristic prostrating attacks (attacks that force you to stop and lie down)
- Whether prostrating attacks average once a month over the last several months (30% level)
- Whether attacks are very frequent, completely prostrating, and prolonged, producing severe economic inadaptability (50%, DC 8100)
- Duration and typical symptoms of an episode (aura, photophobia, nausea)
Have a C&P exam coming up? See exactly what the examiner will ask about Migraines — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Migraines, based on your overall combined VA disability rating.
| Rating | Monthly (Alone) | Monthly (w/ Spouse) | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | — | $2,165.04 |
| 20% | $356.66 | — | $4,279.92 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 | $6,629.64 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 | $9,550.08 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 | $13,594.80 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 | $17,220.24 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 | $21,701.40 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 | $25,225.80 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 | $28,347.60 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 | $47,262.96 |
Common Symptoms
Document these symptoms in your claim. The more thoroughly you describe how they affect your daily life, the stronger your claim.
Functional Limitations
VA rates disabilities based on how they limit your ability to function. Describe these limitations in your personal statement.
Rating Criteria for Migraines
Rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.124a, DC 8100 (migraine). Criteria are simplified summaries; your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
Migraine with less frequent attacks than the 10 percent criteria.
With characteristic prostrating attacks averaging one in 2 months over the last several months.
With characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on an average once a month over the last several months.
With very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.
Verified against 38 CFR Part 4, the official VA rating schedule. Reviewed July 2026.
Will adding Migraines raise your rating?
Enter your current combined rating and the level this condition would rate at. We'll do the VA math.
New combined
10%
New monthly
$180
Change
+$180
Rates shown are the 2026 veteran-alone amounts (no dependents). VA combines ratings with "whole-person" math and rounds to the nearest 10, so adding a condition does not simply add its percentage. Full combined-rating calculator with dependents →
Peer-Reviewed Medical Evidence
Real, verified studies from PubMed/NIH that support a Migraines claim. Bring these citations to your accredited VSO or C&P exam — they help show your condition is recognized in the medical literature and, where noted, linked to other service-connected conditions.
Molecular Psychiatry, 2026 · PMID 41420111
Finding: In a Million Veteran Program sample of over 433,000 veterans (87,859 migraine cases), the authors note veterans face a greater migraine risk than sex-matched individuals in the general population, and found high genetic correlations between migraine and PTSD, depression, and traumatic brain injury (though Mendelian randomization found no causal genetic link).
Why it helps: Supports an association between military service and elevated migraine burden, and documents that migraine frequently co-occurs with PTSD, depression, and TBI in veterans; it does not establish service connection on its own.
MSMR (Medical Surveillance Monthly Report), 2016 · nexus to traumatic brain injury (TBI) · PMID 27501937
Finding: Among 111,018 U.S. active duty service members with a first-time TBI versus a matched no-TBI group, those with mild TBI were 3.99 times more likely and those with moderate/severe TBI were 8.89 times more likely to be diagnosed with subsequent headache or migraine.
Why it helps: Directly supports an association in a U.S. military population in which TBI raises the risk of later migraine/headache, which is relevant to a secondary nexus to a service-connected TBI.
Headache, 2021 · nexus to traumatic brain injury (TBI) · PMID 34570899
Finding: In 190 veterans with post-traumatic headache and PTSD symptoms, those with combined blast-plus-blunt head trauma were more likely to have chronic (vs. episodic) headaches than the blunt-only group (OR 3.45, 95% CI 1.41-8.4; 70% vs. 40%) and the blast-only group (OR 2.51, 95% CI 1.07-5.9).
Why it helps: Supports an association between service-related head trauma (TBI) and persistent/chronic post-traumatic headache in veterans, relevant to a secondary nexus to TBI.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2023 · nexus to traumatic brain injury (TBI); PTSD · PMID 37445267
Finding: This review describes post-traumatic headache as a common, debilitating consequence of mild TBI that can begin over a year after the head impact, with migraine being a frequent clinical phenotype and main risk factors including a prior history of migraine, greater head-injury severity, and co-occurring psychological symptoms such as anxiety and depression.
Why it helps: Provides background support that migraine-type headache commonly arises secondary to mTBI and is linked to co-occurring psychological symptoms, useful context for a TBI- or PTSD-based nexus.
Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 2025 · nexus to PTSD · PMID 40393203
Finding: In a population-representative sample of 2,941 Canadian military members followed over 16 years, the prevalence of chronic pain conditions across PTSD courses ranged from 8% to 61% (lowest in those with no PTSD), and members with remitted PTSD had elevated odds of migraines (AOR 2.43, 95% CI 1.29-4.58) compared with those with no PTSD.
Why it helps: Supports an association between PTSD and migraine in a military population, relevant to a secondary nexus to service-connected PTSD.
International Journal of Audiology, 2024 · nexus to tinnitus · PMID 36459425
Finding: A PRISMA systematic review of 6 observational studies (26,166 participants) found most studies showed an association between migraine and tinnitus, with high reported odds and hazard ratios, and two studies detecting migraine in 10.1% and 22.5% of tinnitus patients.
Why it helps: Supports an association between tinnitus and migraine, relevant to a secondary nexus to service-connected tinnitus; the authors note the small number of included studies as a limitation.
World Journal of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 2023 · nexus to tinnitus · PMID 37383326
Finding: This review reports that up to 45% of tinnitus patients also suffer from migraine and proposes a shared central-nervous-system mechanism involving trigeminal nerve activation of the auditory pathways, with both conditions sharing triggers such as stress and sleep disturbance.
Why it helps: Supports a biologically plausible association between tinnitus and migraine, relevant to a secondary nexus to service-connected tinnitus; it is a hypothesis/review rather than a controlled study.
Best Practice & Research. Clinical Rheumatology, 2024 · nexus to cervical strain / neck disorder · PMID 38388233
Finding: This clinical review describes cervicogenic headache as trigeminal head-pain induced by cervical (neck) disorders via trigeminocervical convergence, often presenting with migraine-like features (nausea, photophobia, phonophobia) and reduced neck mobility, with a history of whiplash injury commonly reported.
Why it helps: Supports a recognized mechanism by which a neck/cervical-spine disorder can produce migraine-like headache, relevant to a secondary nexus to a service-connected cervical strain; migraine is also noted as a differential diagnosis.
Headache, 2015 · PMID 25600719
Finding: Using national surveillance data, 14.2% of U.S. adults reported migraine or severe headache in the prior 3 months (19.1% of females, 9.0% of males), and the unadjusted 1-year prevalence of migraine in active duty U.S. service members ranged from 1% to 1.9% (0.7-1.2% males, 3.5-6% females) between 1998 and 2010.
Why it helps: Provides baseline prevalence and burden context, including documented migraine rates among active duty service members, useful background for a direct service-connection claim.
Every citation is real and verified against PubMed. This is general information, not medical or legal advice — your accredited VSO or representative can advise on your specific claim.
Evidence Checklist
Gather these types of evidence before filing your claim. The strongest claims include multiple evidence types.
Common Treatments
Documenting ongoing treatment strengthens your claim and supports higher ratings.
Secondary Conditions Linked to Migraines
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to Migraines. A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
Depression
Nexus strength: strong· Commonly granted
Anxiety
Nexus strength: strong· Commonly granted
Tinnitus
Nexus strength: moderate· Commonly granted
Insomnia
Nexus strength: strong· Commonly granted
Cervical Strain
Nexus strength: strong· Commonly granted
TMJ
Nexus strength: moderate· Commonly granted
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Related Guides
Migraines as a Secondary Condition
Migraines is commonly claimed secondary to these primary conditions:
Filing a Migrainesclaim? Don't skip these.
Most veterans filing for Migraines should also be looking at:
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Draft your Migraines personal statement
7-step wizard that builds your VA claim personal statement using your own words. Detects presumptive eligibility, cites 38 CFR + DBQ, includes federal-crime disclosure. You review and edit before filing.
Start draftingNot legal or medical advice. Always have a VSO or accredited rep review before filing.
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Secondary Condition Claim Guides
Detailed guides on claiming each secondary condition linked to Migraines.
Migraines Claim Guide by State
Find state-specific VA facilities, veteran benefits, and filing resources.
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Educational content, not professional advice
This article is published by Military Transition Toolkit for educational and planning purposes. It is not legal, medical, or financial advice. VA rating criteria, benefits, and regulations change — verify anything benefits-affecting against VA.gov, 38 CFR Part 4, or a VA-accredited representative (VSO, agent, or attorney) before filing.
MTT is a veteran-owned planning tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or any military branch.