Hemorrhoids rank among the most common — and most under-claimed — VA disability conditions. Veterans avoid filing because the condition feels embarrassing, seems too minor, or they never connect their chronic hemorrhoids to the physical demands of military service. That is a costly mistake. Under Diagnostic Code 7336 of the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities, hemorrhoids can be rated at 0%, 10%, or 20%, and even a 10% rating added at the right time can push a veteran's combined rating over the next threshold — worth hundreds of additional dollars per month, tax-free, for life.
This is not a trivial claim. The physical demands of military service — heavy rucksack loads, prolonged vehicle operations, irregular MRE-based diets with almost no fiber, dehydration during field exercises, straining under tactical constraints — create exactly the conditions that cause hemorrhoid development. Veterans with combat arms, logistics, aviation, and administrative MOS specialties all face documented risk factors. If you were treated for hemorrhoids during service, or if you developed hemorrhoids that you now connect to service-related stressors, you have the foundation of a legitimate VA disability claim.
Beyond direct service connection, secondary service connection opens the door for veterans who take opioid medications for service-connected pain conditions — a population that experiences near-universal opioid-induced constipation, which directly causes hemorrhoid development. Veterans with service-connected IBS or other GI conditions have a parallel secondary pathway.
This guide covers everything: the exact regulatory criteria under 38 CFR 4.114, how each rating tier is assigned under DC 7336, the 2026 pay rates for each tier, surgical evidence strategy after a hemorrhoidectomy, the five most common mistakes on hemorrhoid claims, and how to build the evidence package that wins.
All VA disability ratings for digestive system conditions — including hemorrhoids — are governed by 38 CFR § 4.114, the Schedule for Rating Disabilities for Digestive System conditions. The digestive system section covers everything from mouth and esophageal conditions to liver, gallbladder, and anorectal conditions. Hemorrhoids fall under the anorectal subsection.
The overarching digestive rating framework under 38 CFR 4.114 states that ratings are based on the average impairment in earning capacity, and that the effect of the disability on the veteran's daily life and occupational functioning must be considered. For digestive conditions, this means the VA examiner must consider not just clinical findings but how the condition affects the veteran's ability to work, exercise, maintain regular activities, and live without significant discomfort or restriction.
Diagnostic Code 7336 specifically covers hemorrhoids and provides three rating tiers: 0% (non-compensable but service-connected), 10%, and 20%. The code also covers associated anal fissures when they occur alongside hemorrhoids. It is important to note that DC 7336 does not have a maximum rating above 20% — if your condition has progressed to a severity beyond what DC 7336 captures (e.g., severe fecal incontinence from surgical complications), other diagnostic codes under the digestive system may apply.
A parallel regulatory framework that benefits hemorrhoid claimants is 38 CFR 4.66, which governs the general rating principles for the digestive system. Under 4.66, VA must consider the severity and frequency of flare-ups, the effect of diet restrictions, and the impact of the condition on the veteran's overall quality of life and work capacity — even for conditions like hemorrhoids that have a low ceiling rating. This principle matters when arguing for the 20% tier over the 10% tier: document how frequently you experience acute episodes, what treatment is required, and the functional impact on your daily activities.
DC 7336 has three discrete rating levels. Understanding exactly what VA is looking for at each level — and documenting your condition to match — is the difference between a 0% and 20% outcome.
| Rating | DC 7336 Criteria | Clinical Documentation Needed |
|---|---|---|
| 0% | Mild or moderate hemorrhoids without bleeding or prolapse | Diagnosis confirmed by physician or endoscopy. No current active bleeding or visible prolapse. Establishes service connection — still valuable for preserving effective date. |
| 10% | Mild or moderate hemorrhoids with persistent bleeding, prolapse, or fissures | Rectal bleeding records (frequency, volume); physical exam or endoscopy showing prolapse; anoscopy or colonoscopy confirming fissures; treatment history (sitz baths, creams, fiber therapy). |
| 20% | Large or thrombotic hemorrhoids, irreducible, with excessive redundant tissue, evidencing frequent recurrences | Grade III–IV hemorrhoids on endoscopy; documented thrombosis episodes; irreducibility confirmed by examiner; repeated procedures (rubber band ligation, sclerotherapy, ER visits); pattern of frequent recurrence. |
The word "persistent" in the 10% criteria is critical. A single bleeding episode without recurrence would not qualify — VA is looking for a pattern of recurring symptoms. This does not require daily bleeding; it means the condition recurs regularly enough to be considered chronic rather than isolated. Medical records showing multiple episodes across multiple visits, or a gastroenterologist's note documenting chronic intermittent hemorrhoidal bleeding, satisfies "persistent." Keep a symptom diary and bring it to your specialist appointment — dates and descriptions of bleeding episodes are more persuasive than general statements that "it bleeds sometimes."
Qualifying for 20% requires meeting multiple criteria simultaneously: the hemorrhoids must be large or thrombotic, they must be irreducible (cannot be manually pushed back inside), and there must be evidence of frequent recurrences. Veterans who have required multiple procedures — rubber band ligation, sclerotherapy, office-based thrombectomy, or multiple emergency department visits for acute thrombotic episodes — have the strongest case for 20%. If you have undergone a hemorrhoidectomy and hemorrhoids have recurred afterward, that recurrence after surgical treatment is compelling evidence of "frequent recurrences."
Anal fissures — small tears in the anal canal lining — are specifically listed as a qualifying finding for the 10% tier under DC 7336 when they occur with hemorrhoids. Fissures cause pain during and after bowel movements and can cause bleeding. If your colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, or physical exam report documents fissures, this is an independent pathway to 10% even if active bleeding is not prominent. Make sure the examining gastroenterologist notes any fissure findings in their report.
The 2026 VA compensation pay rates for hemorrhoid ratings (no dependents) are shown below. The real value of a hemorrhoid rating depends on your total combined disability percentage — a single additional rating can cross a rounding threshold and move you to the next tier.
| DC 7336 Rating | 2026 Monthly Rate (No Dependents) | Annual Value |
|---|---|---|
| 0% | $0 — but establishes service connection | Effective date preserved; future increase available |
| 10% | $175.51/month | $2,106.12/year |
| 20% | $346.95/month | $4,163.40/year |
These rates apply if hemorrhoids are your only service-connected disability. In most cases, hemorrhoids are claimed alongside existing conditions, and the combined rating math determines your actual monthly payment. See the combined rating impact table in the Combined Rating Math section below.
VA combined ratings are rounded to the nearest 10% for compensation purposes. A combined score of 75% rounds to 80%; 74% rounds to 70%. If your current combined rating sits close to a rounding threshold, a 10% hemorrhoid rating could push you over — and the financial impact at certain thresholds is substantial.
| Current Combined | After Adding 10% Hemorrhoids | 2026 Monthly Rate | Monthly Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55% combined | ~60% (rounds up) | $1,395.93 | +~$170/mo |
| 65% combined | ~70% (rounds up) | $1,759.43 | +~$190/mo |
| 75% combined | ~80% (rounds up) | $2,044.89 | +~$210/mo |
| 85% combined | ~90% (rounds up) | $2,297.96 | +~$310/mo |
Use the free rating estimator at claim.vet to see exactly what a 10% or 20% hemorrhoid rating does to your specific combined percentage and monthly benefit. Check your eligibility using the free eligibility screener.
If you underwent a hemorrhoidectomy — surgical removal of hemorrhoids — during or after military service, the presence of surgical records significantly changes your claim strategy. The VA rates the residuals of surgery in addition to (or instead of) the underlying condition, and surgical history opens additional rating pathways.
Rubber band ligation (RBL) is the most common outpatient procedure for internal hemorrhoids — the surgeon places a rubber band at the base of the hemorrhoid, cutting off blood supply. Sclerotherapy injects a chemical solution to shrink hemorrhoidal tissue. Both are documented in your medical records as office procedures, and each documented procedure is evidence of: (1) the severity of your hemorrhoids warranting procedural intervention; (2) the ongoing, recurrent nature of your condition.
Veterans who have had rubber band ligation or sclerotherapy on multiple occasions — particularly if hemorrhoids recurred and required repeat treatment — have strong evidence supporting the 20% tier's "frequent recurrences" requirement. Request all procedural notes from your gastroenterologist's office and include them in your claim.
After a formal hemorrhoidectomy (surgical excision), the following residual conditions may develop and should be rated separately if they qualify:
Establishing direct service connection requires three elements: an in-service event or injury, a current diagnosis, and a nexus (medical link) between the two. For hemorrhoids, the in-service event is usually the documented exposure to risk factors — physical straining, prolonged sitting, or irregular diet — rather than a single traumatic incident.
Heavy physical activity — particularly heavy lifting — increases intra-abdominal pressure. Sustained or repeated elevation of intra-abdominal pressure is the primary mechanical mechanism behind hemorrhoid development. This is the same mechanism that makes hemorrhoids common in powerlifters and manual laborers. Military service across most MOS specialties involves exactly this kind of repeated physical stress:
Your MOS occupational specification documents can be obtained through your branch's official records channels and serve as lay evidence of your service duties. Combined with STRs showing any hemorrhoid-related treatment or relevant GI complaints during service, this constructs the necessary in-service event foundation.
Prolonged sitting reduces venous return from the anorectal region, contributing to engorgement of the hemorrhoidal venous plexus. Military vehicle operators and aircrew face extreme versions of this risk factor:
During field operations and deployments, the dietary and sanitation conditions that cause hemorrhoids are well-documented and universally recognized among military medical professionals:
If your STRs include any complaints of constipation, GI discomfort, or rectal complaints during field exercises or deployment — even if not explicitly labeled "hemorrhoids" — this context supports your claim. The VA's benefit of the doubt standard under 38 U.S.C. § 5107(b) requires that when evidence is approximately balanced, the veteran receives the benefit. A STR documenting constipation complaints during a deployment combined with a current hemorrhoid diagnosis and a nexus letter is sufficient evidence to receive the benefit of the doubt on service connection.
REE Medical specializes in nexus letters and independent medical opinions for VA claims. Veterans we refer often see faster, stronger claim outcomes — and REE's physicians understand the specific requirements of VA rating criteria.
Get a Nexus Letter from REE Medical →Secondary service connection under 38 CFR § 3.310 allows a condition to be service-connected if it is proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disability. For hemorrhoids, two secondary pathways are well-established and frequently successful.
Veterans with service-connected chronic pain conditions — back injuries, joint conditions, nerve damage, fibromyalgia — who are prescribed opioid analgesics face a near-universal side effect: opioid-induced constipation (OIC). Opioids suppress intestinal motility, delay gastric emptying, and reduce rectal sensitivity — the combination causes severe, chronic constipation in the majority of patients. Chronic constipation causes repeated straining during defecation, which is one of the primary mechanical causes of hemorrhoid development and aggravation.
The secondary service connection argument is a two-step chain: service-connected pain condition → opioid prescription → OIC → hemorrhoid development or aggravation. This is a medically recognized and well-documented pharmacological mechanism. A gastroenterologist who prescribes or treats your bowel dysfunction alongside your hemorrhoids can provide the nexus opinion documenting this causal chain.
Common opioid medications that cause OIC and support this secondary claim pathway include: morphine, oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), tramadol, fentanyl patches, buprenorphine, methadone, and codeine. If you are prescribed any of these for a service-connected pain condition and have developed hemorrhoids, pursue secondary service connection before direct service connection — the evidence chain is often cleaner.
Veterans with service-connected irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have a direct physiological pathway to hemorrhoid development. IBS causes alternating constipation and diarrhea, chronic straining, and anorectal irritation. Chronic diarrhea causes repeated wiping and irritation of the anorectal mucosa, predisposing to both internal and external hemorrhoid development. Chronic constipation causes the straining mechanism described above. The hemorrhoidal venous plexus, subjected to repeated pressure and irritation from dysfunctional bowel patterns, enlarges and becomes symptomatic.
If you have service-connected IBS or another GI condition — Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, microscopic colitis — claim hemorrhoids as secondary to that condition. See the VA disability rating for IBS guide for context on primary GI service connections that may already support your case.
Women veterans who experienced pregnancy during their military service have a recognized secondary pathway: pregnancy-related hemorrhoids that developed or were aggravated during a service-connected pregnancy. Because military service creates unique stressors during pregnancy — physical training requirements, duty assignments, deployment-related stress — hemorrhoids that developed or significantly worsened during an in-service pregnancy can be service-connected. This pathway is underutilized among women veterans and deserves specific attention.
The VA uses Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs) as standardized forms for documenting the severity of medical conditions for rating purposes. The Digestive Conditions DBQ is the appropriate form for hemorrhoid claims. It is publicly available on VA.gov and can be completed by your private physician — specifically your gastroenterologist or colorectal surgeon.
The Digestive Conditions DBQ includes fields for:
A fully completed DBQ from a gastroenterologist — as opposed to a brief office note — is dramatically more useful because it addresses each specific rating criterion. VA raters and examiners use DBQ fields to map directly to rating schedule criteria. When your evidence already maps to the criteria, there is less interpretive discretion for the rater to under-apply the rating. Request that your specialist complete the DBQ at your next appointment, or schedule a specific evaluation for this purpose.
See the complete VA DBQ guide for instructions on obtaining and using DBQs effectively across all condition types, and the nexus letter doctor guide for finding physicians experienced with VA claims.
Hemorrhoid claims have a predictable set of errors that occur at both the veteran's preparation stage and the VA's adjudication stage. Understanding these errors in advance allows you to build a claim that preemptively addresses them.
The biggest mistake — by far — is the decision not to file because the condition seems embarrassing or minor. Every month you delay filing is a month of potential back pay you cannot recover once your effective date is established. The VA does not judge conditions as more or less "worthy" — if it is service-connected and compensable, you are legally entitled to receive compensation. File now, document the condition properly, and let the evidence determine your rating.
A primary care note saying "patient has hemorrhoids" is far less useful than a gastroenterologist's report documenting hemorrhoid grade, bleeding history, prolapse status, and fissures. VA raters apply the rating criteria to the evidence they have — if your only documentation is a brief primary care note without specifics, the rater will assign the lowest defensible rating. Get specialist evaluation. Ask for a colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy if one hasn't been done — endoscopic findings are objective and difficult to dispute.
"Frequent recurrences" is an explicit requirement for the 20% rating. Yet most veterans don't track or report this. If you have had multiple episodes of acute hemorrhoid flare-up requiring treatment — ER visits for thrombosis, office procedures, prescription medication cycles — this pattern must be documented. Ask your physician to note the recurrence pattern explicitly in their records and in any DBQ they complete.
Veterans who take opioids for service-connected pain conditions — a substantial portion of the VA patient population — and who have hemorrhoids are frequently missing a secondary service connection that would be straightforward to establish. Similarly, veterans with service-connected IBS who also have hemorrhoids rarely pursue the secondary claim. Check your list of service-connected conditions and current medications. If the secondary pathway exists, pursue it.
The VA C&P examiner assigned to your hemorrhoid claim may spend less than 10 minutes on the examination. Without a private DBQ already in your file, the only documentation the rater has is whatever the C&P examiner noted in that brief session. A private DBQ completed by your gastroenterologist — with detailed clinical findings, procedural history, and frequency documentation — gives the rater high-quality evidence to work with. Provide it before or with your claim submission.
A complete hemorrhoid claim evidence package consists of the following components:
For secondary claims, add: documentation of the service-connected primary condition, medication records showing opioid prescription (for OIC pathway), and the treating physician's nexus letter tracing the causal chain from primary condition to hemorrhoids.
Our free eligibility screener walks you through your service history, existing ratings, and conditions to identify what you may be missing — including hemorrhoid secondary connections many veterans overlook.
Check My Eligibility Free →The VA uses a "whole person" combined rating formula rather than simple addition. Each disability is applied to the remaining "healthy" percentage of the veteran's capacity. This means a 10% hemorrhoid rating added on top of existing ratings does not always increase your combined percentage by exactly 10 points — but it frequently pushes veterans over a rounding threshold into a higher compensation tier.
The current VA combined rating calculation: if you have a 60% rating, you are considered 40% "healthy." A 10% rating applied to that 40% healthy remainder = 4 additional points. Your new combined total is 64%, which rounds to 60% — no tier change. But if you were at 65% combined, adding 10% yields approximately 68.5%, rounding to 70% — a tier increase worth ~$190/month. This asymmetry is why knowing your exact combined percentage before filing matters.
Use the VA disability calculator at claim.vet to run your specific numbers. The rating estimator models the exact impact of adding specific rating percentages to your current combined score.
If your hemorrhoid claim was denied or rated at 0% when you believe a 10% or 20% rating is warranted, three appeal pathways are available under the current appeals modernization framework:
If you have new evidence — a specialist evaluation, endoscopy report, completed DBQ, or nexus letter that was not in your original file — file a Supplemental Claim. This is typically the fastest path. File within one year of the original decision to preserve your effective date. See the VA Supplemental Claim guide for filing instructions.
If the rater made a clear error — applied the wrong diagnostic code, ignored evidence of prolapse or fissures already in the file, or failed to apply the benefit of the doubt standard — file an HLR. A more senior rater reviews the same file. You can request an informal conference to explain the specific error. See the VA Higher-Level Review guide.
For denied claims where the evidence dispute is substantial or involves significant back pay, the BVA provides access to a Veterans Law Judge. VA-accredited attorneys are most valuable at this level — they can identify regulatory errors and build the formal record. See the BVA appeals guide.
For complex claims or significant back pay situations, consult a VA-accredited attorney who can evaluate your specific file and identify the strongest appeal strategy.
The maximum VA rating under Diagnostic Code 7336 is 20%, awarded for large or thrombotic hemorrhoids that are irreducible with frequent recurrences and excessive redundant tissue. Most veterans receive 10% for mild to moderate hemorrhoids with persistent bleeding, prolapse, or fissures. A 0% rating establishes service connection without compensation but preserves your effective date for future increases.
Not strictly required, but highly recommended. Colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy reports provide objective clinical documentation of hemorrhoid severity — the hemorrhoid grade, presence of bleeding, fissures, and prolapse are documented by direct visualization. This is the most persuasive evidence type because it cannot be dismissed as subjective. If you have not had endoscopic evaluation, request a referral from your VA primary care provider, especially if you have rectal bleeding — which is also a symptom warranting evaluation for other conditions.
Yes. Your effective date — and therefore your back pay start date — is generally the date VA received your claim, or up to one year before if you filed an Intent to File first. If you have had hemorrhoids since service but waited to file, filing an Intent to File today protects your effective date for the next year while you gather documentation. You cannot recover compensation for periods before your earliest effective date, so filing promptly matters.
Infantry and combat arms (11-series, 0311 USMC, 19-series), logistics and supply (88M, 92-series), aviation maintenance (15-series, 6000-series USMC), and military police (31-series) all have well-documented exposure to the primary hemorrhoid risk factors: heavy lifting, prolonged vehicle operations, field diet conditions, and irregular bathroom access during operations. Any MOS involving regular heavy lifting or prolonged sitting has a credible service connection argument — the key is documenting what your specific duties entailed.
Current VA processing times for initial claims vary widely — typically 3 to 7 months for a well-documented initial claim. Supplemental Claims with complete new evidence often process faster (4 to 8 weeks). Filing a complete evidence package upfront — specialist evaluation, DBQ, nexus letter, STR excerpt, personal statement — minimizes requests for additional evidence that extend processing time. See the VA claim processing times guide for current wait time data.
Yes, but the VA does not combine ratings for the same body system under the same diagnostic code — each condition is rated separately. You can have a separate rating for hemorrhoids (DC 7336), IBS (DC 7319), GERD (DC 7346), and other GI conditions simultaneously. Each contributes to your combined rating independently. The prohibition is against "pyramiding" — rating the same symptom under multiple codes — but different GI conditions are ratable separately.
An inadequate C&P examination — one that does not address the specific rating criteria under DC 7336 — is grounds for requesting a new examination. If the examiner did not document prolapse status, bleeding history, fissure presence, or thrombosis history, the examination is inadequate as a matter of law under Barr v. Nicholson, 21 Vet. App. 303 (2007). Submit a written rebuttal to your Regional Office documenting the specific omissions and request a supplemental C&P or a new examination. A private DBQ already in your file limits the damage from an inadequate C&P.
Hemorrhoids alone would not typically be the basis for Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU), as the maximum rating is 20%. However, as part of a combined rating package — particularly for veterans with multiple GI conditions, chronic pain, and other service-connected disabilities — hemorrhoids contribute to the total combined rating that may qualify for TDIU consideration. See the TDIU guide for eligibility thresholds and the application process.
In the rare cases where severe anorectal disease has resulted in a colostomy, veterans may qualify for Special Monthly Compensation under SMC-K for loss of use of a natural body function. SMC-K pays approximately $133/month above regular combined rating compensation. This applies when a colostomy has replaced normal bowel function due to service-connected anorectal conditions. Discuss with a VA-accredited attorney if your condition has reached this level.
File a VA Form 21-526EZ (Application for Disability Compensation) online through VA.gov, by mail, or in person at your Regional Office or VSO. Include your evidence package: specialist evaluation, DBQ, nexus letter, relevant STR excerpts, and personal statement. If claiming as secondary, identify the primary service-connected condition explicitly. File an Intent to File first (VA Form 21-0966 or online) to lock in your effective date while you gather documentation. Use the free eligibility screener to confirm you meet the basic filing criteria.
Take our free 2-minute eligibility screener to see how a hemorrhoid rating fits into your overall VA claim strategy — and whether secondary connections apply to your situation.
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