Migraines and sleep apnea affect millions of people every year, either independently or together. The combination of having both conditions can be debilitating, especially for Veterans who are adapting to their lives outside of military service. If migraines and sleep apnea constantly disrupt your ability to rest or sleep, you may be eligible to obtain disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Here is how to identify each symptom and gain access to these benefits.
Migraines can be defined as headaches that have an intense pain on one specific part of the head. Migraines and other headache disorders can be a common occurrence amongst Veterans due to physical and mental trauma sustained from brain injuries and other incidents on the field of combat. Studies have shown that around 36% of U.S. Veterans who served a year in Iraq were showing signs of migraines that impact their health, according to VA.
Standard migraine symptoms include sensitivity to lights and sounds. Those who have suffered more serious head injuries due to trauma may experience cluster headaches, migraine attacks, or tension headaches, as well.
Sleep apnea is a disorder in which your breathing stops and starts unconsciously, often with loud snoring. There are three types of sleep apnea: obstructive (where the throat muscles relax so much that the throat’s airway is blocked and breathing stops), central (when the brain signals to the breathing muscles that something is not working properly), and complex or mixed sleep apnea (which combines aspects of both obstructive and central sleep apnea).
Some causes for sleep apnea amongst Veterans include age, obesity, psychiatric conditions, gender, genetic makeup, facial trauma, exposure to toxins, and existing medical conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes. Other complications that may exist for Veterans who experience sleep apnea include daytime fatigue and irritability, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, liver problems, and chronic respiratory failure.
People with migraines are more likely to experience disorders like sleep apnea, and Veterans may be able to identify them as a combined claim. This can increase the VA benefits you receive.
If you are eligible for VA disability compensation, make sure to fill out a claim completely while also gathering as much evidence as you can to solidify your case. Any VA medical records, private medical records, and supporting statements will legitimize your disability claim.
Our Veterans’ disability attorneys can help you navigate your benefits claim for migraines and/or sleep apnea. Call us today for a free consultation – from anywhere in the country.