Arthritis of the Lumbar Spine Asthma Asthma secondary to Allergies Camp Lejeune Water Exposure Cervical Strain Chronic Cystitis Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ... Sleep Apnea secondary to Sinusitis Stress Incontinence Tinnitus TMJ Syndrome Traumatic Brain Injury Venous Insufficiency. Sleep Apnea is a deadly condition – and there are many causes for the condition. Sinusitis & Rhinitis. Additionally, people with asthma have an increased risk of developing sleep apnea. In secondary claims, determine what medical principles and practices should be applied in determining whether a causal relationship exists between two conditions. He had been snoring/gasping for breath many years before retirement, but back then, nobody ever heard of sleep apnea. Your back pain could be considered as a secondary service-connected disability. Both Sinusitis and Rhinitis are linked bidirectionally to sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can further increase that inflammation. No air is moving in or out, and this causes a drop in the oxygen level in the body. Since I discharged in 2002 my sleep has gotten worse and worse, with periods of restlessness, wakefulness (just can't sleep after waking up for no reason) or sleeping but feeling like I never actually get any rest. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common after a spinal injury.The study suggests that patients who experienced a spinal injury could benefit from a sleep assessment test to diagnose sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is defined as having numerous episodes during the night when breathing stops for at least 10 seconds. Is your sleep apnea secondary to your TBI? FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. One form of sleep apnea results from nerve damage: the brain cannot send the proper signals to the lungs to expand and take in air. Purpose: Sleep apnea is a multi-factorial disease with a variety of identified causes. and many more! The Veteran's treating physician opined that the sleep apnea was caused directly by the service-connected low back disability. VA Rating Scale for Sleep Apnea Sleep Apnea and Secondary Service Connection . § 3.310. Answer: It could be – but you’re going to need some medical evidence to show that. With its close proximity to the upper airway, the cervical spine and its associated pathologies can produce sleep apnea symptoms in select populations. CONTACT: Lynn Celmer, 630-737-9700, ext. In obstructive sleep apnea, breathing stops because the soft palate and tongue have flopped back and blocked (“obstructed”) the airway. Many veterans with Sleep Apnea, especially those who were diagnosed long after leaving the military, might still be eligible if medical evidence shows your Sleep Apnea is proximately due to or aggravated by another service-connected disability such as musculoskeletal conditions … We were advised to claim sleep apnea as secondary to atrial fibrillation (as there are many well-accepted medical reports linking them). Sleep Apnea – Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients wake up over and over throughout the night due to interruptions in breathing. Results show that 77 percent of spinal cord injury survivors had symptomatic sleep-disordered breathing, and 92 percent had poor sleep quality. Thus, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran, there is a basis of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to the service-connected low back disability under 38 C.F.R. Sleep Apnea: Sleep apnea can be caused by long-term exposure to chemicals and toxins that veterans have been exposed to through their military service. While the patient does not normally realize he or she is waking up, sleep becomes non-restorative because it is difficult to stay asleep long enough to get into the deeper phases of sleep. Services. Can sleep apnea be secondary to weight, gained as a result of a 40% lower spine degenerative disc condition, or is that a huge stretch? From a medical perspective, analyze the current Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) practice of assigning service connection on “secondary” and “aggravation” bases. 9364, lcelmer@aasm.org DARIEN, IL – A new study suggests that patients with spinal cord injuries could benefit from careful assessment for sleep apnea.. Individuals with sleep apnea are much more likely of developing chronic sinusitis or rhinitis. Veteran; After his sleep study, he was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea.