VA Disability Rating for Raynaud's Disease (DC 7117): 2026 Guide

What Is Raynaud's Disease?

Raynaud's (ray-NOZ) disease is a condition characterized by episodic vasospasm — sudden, exaggerated constriction of small arteries (arterioles) in the digits — most commonly fingers, less commonly toes, ears, and nose. During an attack, the affected area turns white (pallor, due to arterial spasm cutting off blood flow), then blue (cyanosis, due to deoxygenated blood pooling), then red (reactive hyperemia as blood rushes back when the spasm releases). This tricolor sequence is the clinical hallmark.

Attacks are triggered primarily by cold exposure — even mild cold like reaching into a refrigerator, holding a cold drink, or transitioning from a warm room to air conditioning can trigger an episode. Emotional stress is a secondary trigger, mediated through the sympathetic nervous system's vasoconstrictive effects.

Primary vs. Secondary Raynaud's

Clinically, Raynaud's is divided into primary (Raynaud's disease — idiopathic, no underlying cause) and secondary (Raynaud's phenomenon — caused by or associated with another condition). For VA rating purposes, both are rated identically under DC 7117. However, the distinction matters for service connection:

• Primary Raynaud's: May be service-connected directly if onset was during service or if cold injury during service is documented as a plausible cause.
• Secondary Raynaud's: Can be claimed as secondary to any service-connected condition that causes or aggravates vascular dysfunction — most commonly lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, and Sjögren's syndrome.

DC 7117: Raynaud's Syndrome Rating Criteria

VA rates Raynaud's syndrome under 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 7117. The rating is driven by episode frequency and the presence of trophic changes:

Bilateral Involvement

When Raynaud's affects both upper and lower extremities, or affects different digit groups asymmetrically, discuss with your claims representative whether bilateral separate ratings under extremity codes might be appropriate. In some cases, distinguishing between upper and lower extremity involvement and the cold injury laterality may support additional compensation.

Cold Injury Service Connection: The Primary Pathway

Cold injury — frostbite, trench foot, immersion foot — is a well-recognized cause of permanent microvascular damage. The mechanism: extreme cold causes ice crystal formation in tissues and vascular endothelium, followed by inflammatory and thrombotic processes that damage the small vessel walls. Even after the acute cold injury resolves, the endothelial damage produces chronic vasomotor instability that manifests as Raynaud's phenomenon.

Under 38 CFR § 3.304(f), residuals of cold injuries are well-established as service-connected disabilities. VA's M21-1 adjudication manual specifically recognizes Raynaud's phenomenon as a potential residual of frostbite. This means that veterans who had documented frostbite or trench foot during service have a strong presumptive-like basis for service-connecting Raynaud's as a residual cold injury — even decades later.

Documentation for Cold Injury Claims

• Service treatment records (STRs) documenting the cold injury event (frostbite, trench foot, evacuation for cold injury)
• Unit records or buddy statements corroborating cold exposure and injury if not in STRs
• Medical records from separation or post-service documenting residual symptoms
• Current vascular medicine or rheumatology records diagnosing Raynaud's phenomenon
• A nexus letter linking the current Raynaud's to the in-service cold injury

See our dedicated guide on cold injuries and frostbite VA claims for the full documentation strategy.

What If the Cold Injury Wasn't Formally Documented?

Many cold injuries during Korean War, Cold War deployments, and even later service were never formally documented. Command cultures often discouraged injury reporting; soldiers tended to "walk off" frostbitten fingers rather than seek medical attention. Under 38 CFR § 3.303(a) and the benefit-of-the-doubt standard, VA cannot require contemporary documentation if there is no reason to doubt the veteran's credibility. Lay evidence (personal statement, buddy statements) describing the cold exposure and symptoms is acceptable evidence of the in-service event even without contemporaneous medical records.

Cold Climate Veterans: Beyond Combat Cold Injury

Cold injury service connection is not limited to combat veterans. Veterans stationed in cold climates during training, peacetime deployments, or field exercises also had substantial cold exposure that can cause microvascular damage cumulative enough to produce Raynaud's phenomenon:

Cold War Germany (USAREUR)

U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR) veterans stationed in Germany during the Cold War regularly conducted winter field exercises — REFORGER exercises, Hohenfels/Grafenwöhr training — in German winters. Extended time in cold, wet conditions during field problems, often without adequate cold-weather gear, produced significant cold injury exposure even without combat.

Alaska and Arctic Service

Veterans stationed at Fort Wainwright, Fort Greely, Eielson AFB, Fort Richardson (now JBER), or other Alaska installations had endemic cold exposure. Arctic and Alaskan warfare training involves deliberate cold-weather operations that routinely produce cold injuries. Arctic training command records and unit histories document these conditions.

Mountain and Winter Training

Mountain warfare training (JRTC cold-weather rotations, NWTC at Fort McCoy), Ranger School winter phase (Camp Frank D. Merrill), and Special Forces SERE training all involve extreme cold exposure that can produce lasting vascular damage.

Secondary Raynaud's: Claiming as Secondary to Autoimmune Conditions

Raynaud's phenomenon is one of the most common manifestations of systemic autoimmune connective tissue diseases. If you have a service-connected autoimmune condition, Raynaud's is a natural secondary claim candidate:

Under 38 CFR § 3.310, a secondary condition is service-connected if it is caused or chronically worsened (aggravated) by a service-connected disability. For veterans with service-connected lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, a secondary Raynaud's claim requires only a nexus opinion stating the Raynaud's is at least as likely as not caused by the primary SC condition. See our guides on lupus VA ratings and rheumatoid arthritis ratings for more on the primary conditions.

Documenting Episode Frequency: The Critical Task

Because DC 7117 ratings hinge entirely on how often attacks occur, the documentation of episode frequency is the central task in a Raynaud's claim. General statements like "I have frequent attacks" will not be sufficient — VA needs specific frequency data.

The Symptom Diary Strategy

Keep a written diary for at least 60-90 days before your C&P exam. Record:

• Date and time of each attack
• Duration of the attack
• Trigger identified (cold exposure, stress, no apparent trigger)
• Digits affected
• Color changes observed
• Severity (1-10) and functional limitation during attack
• Any medication taken

At the C&P exam, bring this diary and offer it to the examiner. If the examiner declines to review it, submit it as evidence with a supplemental claim.

Seasonal Variation

Raynaud's attacks vary dramatically by season. Summer attack frequency may be much lower than winter attack frequency. Your claim should reflect your winter/cold-season frequency (the worst case) and document seasonal variation explicitly. If you had 20+ attacks per week in February but only 1 per week in August, VA should rate you based on the worst clinical picture — the seasonal peak.

Occupational Impact

Document how Raynaud's attacks affect your work. If attacks prevent you from operating machinery, typing, performing fine motor tasks, or working outdoors, this functional limitation is highly relevant to both rating and any TDIU consideration.

Trophic Changes: The Path to 40%

The 40% rating under DC 7117 applies not only to attacks occurring 4+ times per week, but also to "persistent vasospastic attacks" with trophic changes. Trophic changes are objective physical findings caused by chronic ischemia (reduced blood flow) to the digit tissues:

• Digital ulcers: Small, painful ulcers on fingertips or finger margins that heal poorly due to reduced perfusion
• Skin atrophy: Thinning, shiny, taut skin over digits (sclerodactyly when severe)
• Digital pitting scars: Pitted scars from healed ulcers at fingertips
• Nail changes: Nail dystrophy, onycholysis, nail pitting
• Digital gangrene: Tissue death — most severe; may require amputation
• Calcinosis: Calcium deposits in skin and soft tissue (particularly in scleroderma-associated Raynaud's)

Trophic changes are objective, photographable evidence. If you have any of these findings, photograph them before your C&P exam and submit the photos as evidence. A rheumatologist or vascular medicine specialist's note documenting trophic changes provides medical corroboration. If trophic changes are present, you should argue for the 40% rating regardless of attack frequency count.

Digital Amputation Secondary to Raynaud's

In severe cases, Raynaud's with digital gangrene leads to amputation. If service-connected Raynaud's has resulted in digital amputation, the amputated digit(s) are rated under the amputation diagnostic codes (DC 5152-5156 for fingers, higher for more proximal amputations). Amputation ratings typically far exceed the DC 7117 maximum and should be claimed separately from the Raynaud's rating.

C&P Exam Tips for Raynaud's Claims

• Quantify attack frequency specifically: State exactly how many attacks per week you typically experience, and note that winter frequency is higher than summer frequency.
• Bring your symptom diary: Sixty to ninety days of documented attacks with dates, duration, and triggers is powerful objective evidence.
• Show trophic changes: If you have digital ulcers, pitting scars, or skin changes, make sure the examiner looks at your fingertips and documents what they see.
• Describe functional limitation during attacks: Inability to use hands, button clothing, type, or hold objects during attacks demonstrates real disability beyond the attack frequency count.
• Bring cold injury documentation: Service records, buddy statements, or anything corroborating the in-service cold exposure that connects to your Raynaud's.
• Identify triggers: Tell the examiner what triggers your attacks — this helps document the clinical picture and confirms the vasospastic mechanism.
• Come in cold if possible: In winter, coming to the exam from cold exposure may allow the examiner to observe an active attack — powerful objective evidence.