Fibromyalgia is an increasingly recognized disability affecting thousands of veterans receiving VA disability compensation. Many veterans develop fibromyalgia after military service, often secondary to combat trauma, PTSD, or other service-connected conditions. Fibromyalgia in veterans causes widespread chronic pain, extreme fatigue, cognitive difficulties, and sleep disturbances that significantly impact the veteran’s ability to work and function. Yet many veterans don’t realize fibromyalgia qualifies for VA disability benefits or don’t understand how the VA rates fibromyalgia in veterans. This comprehensive article explains how veterans develop fibromyalgia, how veterans can file disability claims for fibromyalgia, what disability ratings veterans with fibromyalgia receive, and how veterans can maximize compensation for fibromyalgia disabilities.

What is Fibromyalgia in Veterans?

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition affecting many veterans. Veterans with fibromyalgia experience widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, cognitive problems, and other symptoms affecting the veteran. The veteran’s fibromyalgia causes pain throughout the veteran’s body—the veteran may experience widespread pain in muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons affecting the veteran’s functioning.

Unlike some pain conditions where a veteran has pain from a specific injury, fibromyalgia in veterans involves widespread, chronic pain affecting the veteran’s entire body. The veteran’s pain is often accompanied by extreme fatigue and cognitive difficulties—veterans with fibromyalgia frequently describe difficulty concentrating and memory problems affecting the veteran’s work performance.

How Veterans Develop Service-Connected Fibromyalgia

Veterans develop fibromyalgia through various service-related pathways:

Secondary to PTSD: Many veterans develop fibromyalgia secondary to PTSD. The chronic stress and physical manifestations of PTSD in veterans contribute to fibromyalgia development. Veterans with combat-related PTSD frequently develop fibromyalgia affecting the veteran.

Secondary to TBI: Some veterans develop fibromyalgia secondary to traumatic brain injury. The neurological effects of TBI in veterans may predispose the veteran to fibromyalgia development.

Secondary to Chronic Pain Conditions: Veterans with service-connected chronic pain conditions (back pain, widespread pain from injuries) frequently develop fibromyalgia. The veteran’s chronic pain and stress associated with the veteran’s pain contributes to fibromyalgia affecting the veteran.

Secondary to Military Sexual Trauma: Veterans who experienced military sexual trauma frequently develop fibromyalgia as a result. The trauma affects the veteran both psychologically and physically, predisposing the veteran to fibromyalgia.

Direct Service Connection: Some veterans develop fibromyalgia from military service stress and trauma without a specific secondary condition causing the veteran’s fibromyalgia. Veterans can establish direct service connection for fibromyalgia if the veteran can show the condition resulted from military service.

Occupational Exposure: Veterans exposed to certain environmental hazards, burn pits, or chemical exposures during military service may develop fibromyalgia. Occupational exposures during the veteran’s service may contribute to fibromyalgia affecting the veteran.

Fibromyalgia Symptoms Affecting Veterans

Veterans with fibromyalgia experience various symptoms affecting the veteran:

Widespread Pain: Veterans with fibromyalgia experience chronic pain throughout the veteran’s body. The veteran’s pain is often described as burning, aching, or throbbing affecting the veteran’s functioning.

Fatigue: Extreme fatigue is a hallmark symptom of fibromyalgia in veterans. The veteran’s fatigue is often so severe the veteran has difficulty performing daily activities and working affecting the veteran.

Sleep Disturbances: Veterans with fibromyalgia frequently have non-restorative sleep. The veteran’s sleep is disrupted by pain and the veteran often wakes unrefreshed affecting the veteran’s daytime functioning.

Cognitive Difficulties: Many veterans with fibromyalgia experience “fibro fog”—cognitive difficulties affecting the veteran’s concentration, memory, and mental clarity. The veteran’s cognitive problems significantly impact the veteran’s occupational capacity.

Mood Changes: Veterans with fibromyalgia frequently experience depression and anxiety secondary to their fibromyalgia affecting the veteran. The veteran’s mood symptoms compound the veteran’s fibromyalgia impact.

Sensitivity: Veterans with fibromyalgia often develop heightened sensitivity to pain, noise, light, and other stimuli affecting the veteran. The veteran’s sensitivities can make the veteran’s work and social environments challenging for the veteran.

Service Connection for Veterans with Fibromyalgia

Veterans can establish service connection for fibromyalgia through several pathways:

Secondary Service Connection: Many veterans establish service connection for fibromyalgia as a secondary condition to PTSD, TBI, chronic pain, or military sexual trauma. Veterans show how their primary service-connected condition causes or aggravates the veteran’s fibromyalgia.

Direct Service Connection: Veterans with fibromyalgia not clearly secondary to another condition can establish direct service connection by showing the veteran’s fibromyalgia resulted from military service factors including combat exposure, stress, or occupational exposure affecting the veteran.

Medical Evidence: VA medical providers and independent healthcare professionals increasingly recognize fibromyalgia as a valid service-connected condition in veterans. Medical evidence from the veteran’s treatment history supports fibromyalgia service connection for veterans.

Disability Ratings for Veterans with Fibromyalgia

The VA rates fibromyalgia in veterans based on severity of pain, functional limitations, and impact on occupational capacity. Fibromyalgia ratings in veterans range from 0% to 50%, though most veterans with fibromyalgia receive ratings between 10% and 40%.

0-10% Rating for Veterans: Veterans at this level have diagnosed fibromyalgia with minimal functional impairment. The veteran experiences occasional widespread pain and fatigue but it doesn’t substantially limit the veteran’s work or daily functioning.

20-30% Rating for Veterans: Veterans receiving 20-30% for fibromyalgia have noticeable pain and fatigue affecting the veteran’s functioning. The veteran experiences regular pain episodes and fatigue impacting the veteran’s work performance and daily activities.

40% Rating for Veterans: Veterans with a 40% fibromyalgia rating have substantial pain and fatigue significantly limiting the veteran’s functioning. The veteran’s fibromyalgia substantially affects the veteran’s occupational capacity and the veteran experiences significant difficulty with work and daily activities.

Higher Ratings for Veterans: Veterans with extremely severe fibromyalgia causing marked occupational and functional impairment may receive ratings above 40%.

Filing for Fibromyalgia Disability Benefits as a Veteran

To file for VA disability benefits for fibromyalgia, veterans submit VA Form 21-0960 (Application for Disability Compensation) indicating fibromyalgia as the claimed condition.

Veterans filing for fibromyalgia should include:

• Medical records documenting the veteran’s fibromyalgia diagnosis
• Documentation of the veteran’s widespread pain affecting the veteran
• Records showing the veteran’s fatigue and sleep disturbances
• Clinical notes describing the veteran’s fibromyalgia symptoms affecting the veteran
• A personal statement from the veteran describing the veteran’s pain, fatigue, cognitive difficulties, and how fibromyalgia affects the veteran’s daily life and work
• If filing for secondary fibromyalgia, medical evidence showing how the veteran’s primary service-connected condition causes the veteran’s fibromyalgia
• Information about when the veteran’s fibromyalgia began and what triggered the condition affecting the veteran

Veterans should clearly explain whether the veteran is filing for direct service connection or secondary service connection to the veteran’s fibromyalgia.

The Compensation and Pension Exam for Veterans with Fibromyalgia

When veterans file for fibromyalgia disability, the VA typically schedules a Compensation and Pension exam. During the veteran’s exam, the VA examiner will:

• Review the veteran’s medical records and fibromyalgia history
• Ask the veteran detailed questions about pain location, severity, and how pain affects the veteran
• Assess functional limitations caused by the veteran’s fibromyalgia
• Evaluate occupational and daily functioning impacted by the veteran’s fibromyalgia
• Perform tender point examination to assess the veteran’s pain response
• Inquire about the veteran’s fatigue and cognitive difficulties affecting the veteran

Veterans should prepare for the veteran’s exam by maintaining a pain diary showing where the veteran hurts and how the veteran’s pain fluctuates, describing specifically how fibromyalgia affects the veteran’s work and daily activities, and being honest about the veteran’s fatigue and functional limitations.

Secondary Conditions in Veterans with Fibromyalgia

Veterans should file claims for conditions secondary to their fibromyalgia:

Depression: Many veterans develop depression secondary to chronic pain and functional limitations from fibromyalgia affecting the veteran. Secondary depression in veterans qualifies for separate disability rating.

Anxiety: Veterans with fibromyalgia often develop anxiety about their condition and future affecting the veteran. Secondary anxiety in veterans can be rated separately.

Sleep Disorders: Veterans whose fibromyalgia-related pain disrupts the veteran’s sleep may develop clinical sleep disorders. Secondary sleep problems in veterans can receive separate disability ratings.

Cognitive Impairment: Veterans with significant fibro fog may develop secondary cognitive impairment diagnoses affecting the veteran. Secondary cognitive effects in veterans can be documented and rated.

These secondary conditions increase the veteran’s combined disability rating, potentially significantly increasing the veteran’s total compensation.

Combining Fibromyalgia with Other Veteran Disabilities

Many veterans have fibromyalgia combined with other service-connected conditions. For example, a veteran might have a 50% rating for PTSD and a 30% rating for secondary fibromyalgia, plus other disabilities affecting the veteran.

All conditions in veterans combine using the VA’s combined rating formula to determine the veteran’s total disability rating. Use our disability calculator at https://vetvalor.com/va-disability-calculator-2025/ to understand exactly how your fibromyalgia rating combines with your other service-connected conditions as a veteran. The calculator shows veterans their total combined rating and monthly compensation.

Rating Increases for Veterans with Worsening Fibromyalgia

Veterans whose fibromyalgia worsens or whose functional capacity declines should file for rating increases. Fibromyalgia in veterans can fluctuate in severity, but progressive cases warrant higher ratings.

Veterans should file for rating increases when:

• The veteran’s widespread pain becomes more severe or affects more body areas
• The veteran’s fatigue increases and limits the veteran’s occupational capacity
• The veteran’s cognitive difficulties worsen affecting the veteran’s work
• The veteran’s fibromyalgia requires increased treatment or medication affecting the veteran
• The veteran’s functional limitations have significantly increased since the veteran’s last rating

When filing for a rating increase, veterans should submit updated medical evidence showing the veteran’s worsened fibromyalgia condition.

Use our disability calculator at https://vetvalor.com/va-disability-calculator-2025/ to see how a fibromyalgia rating increase would affect your combined rating and total compensation as a veteran.

Understanding Your Fibromyalgia Disability Compensation

A veteran’s fibromyalgia disability compensation depends on the veteran’s fibromyalgia rating and any other service-connected conditions the veteran has. Use our disability calculator at https://vetvalor.com/va-disability-calculator-2025/ to determine:

• Your combined rating including fibromyalgia and other disabilities
• Your monthly compensation based on your disability ratings
• How a fibromyalgia rating increase would affect your total compensation
• How fibromyalgia combines with other service-connected conditions affecting the veteran

The calculator helps veterans understand their total compensation when fibromyalgia combines with other disabilities.

Fibromyalgia Management While Receiving VA Benefits

Veterans with service-connected fibromyalgia should establish regular care with VA providers knowledgeable about fibromyalgia. The VA offers veterans:

• Rheumatology evaluation for fibromyalgia diagnosis and management affecting the veteran
• Pain management specializing in chronic pain conditions in veterans
• Physical therapy to help veterans with fibromyalgia maintain mobility and function
• Medication management for pain, sleep, and mood symptoms affecting the veteran
• Mental health services for depression and anxiety secondary to the veteran’s fibromyalgia

Veterans should maintain regular VA care both for treatment and to create medical documentation supporting disability ratings and potential rating increases.

Occupational Impact of Fibromyalgia in Veterans

The VA recognizes that severe fibromyalgia substantially affects occupational capacity in veterans. Veterans whose fibromyalgia prevents them from working may qualify for Individual Unemployability (IU).

Veterans with severe fibromyalgia affecting occupational capacity should consider filing for IU. IU provides 100% disability compensation based on occupational inability rather than rating percentage alone.

Appealing Denied Fibromyalgia Claims for Veterans

If the VA denies a veteran’s fibromyalgia claim, the veteran can appeal. Many veterans successfully overturn denials by:

• Submitting detailed medical evidence documenting the veteran’s fibromyalgia diagnosis and widespread pain
• Obtaining statements from healthcare providers confirming the veteran’s fibromyalgia and functional impact
• Working with a VA-accredited representative who understands fibromyalgia claims
• Filing for secondary fibromyalgia if the veteran’s primary service-connected condition was approved
• Maintaining detailed pain and symptom diaries supporting the veteran’s appeal

Don’t accept a denied fibromyalgia claim without appeal—many veterans successfully obtain fibromyalgia disability benefits through persistent appeals and comprehensive documentation.

Conclusion

Fibromyalgia is a legitimate service-connected disability affecting many veterans, significantly impacting the veteran’s ability to work and function. Veterans who developed fibromyalgia from military service, combat trauma, or service-connected conditions deserve disability compensation. If you’re a veteran with fibromyalgia, file a disability claim documenting your widespread pain, fatigue, and functional limitations. File for secondary fibromyalgia if your primary service-connected condition causes the veteran’s fibromyalgia. Maintain regular VA care documenting your fibromyalgia symptoms and impact on the veteran’s functioning. Use our disability calculator at https://vetvalor.com/va-disability-calculator-2025/ to understand your combined rating and total compensation when fibromyalgia combines with other veteran disabilities. As a veteran with service-connected fibromyalgia, you deserve disability benefits recognizing your condition and compensating you for the profound functional impact on your veteran life.