38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.104

Cold injury residuals — VA Diagnostic Code 7122

Cardiovascular

Diagnostic code

7122

Start free worksheet Get the Founding Pass — $9.99/month

38 CFR § 4.104 lists Diagnostic Code 7122 as “Cold injury residuals.” Appendix B to Part 4 uses the same words. A heading says “With the following in affected parts.” The lines are 30, 20, and 10. Note (2) says to evaluate each affected part separately and combine the ratings in accordance with §§ 4.25 and 4.26.

Reviewed 2026-10-05. Text checked against the eCFR versioner full-text XML for 2026-10-01 on 2026-10-05. Title 38 was up to date as of 2026-10-01 and last amended on 2026-08-27. The § 4.104 source note prints 62 FR 65219, Dec. 11, 1997, as amended at 63 FR 37779, July 14, 1998; 71 FR 52460, Sept. 6, 2006; 79 FR 2100, Jan. 13, 2014; 82 FR 50804, Nov. 2, 2017; 86 FR 54093, Sept. 30, 2021; 86 FR 62095, Nov. 9, 2021.

The rating criteria at each level

7122 Cold injury residuals

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). With the following in affected parts:

Rating %: 30

Criteria (verbatim). Arthralgia or other pain, numbness, or cold sensitivity plus two or more of the following: Tissue loss, nail abnormalities, color changes, locally impaired sensation, hyperhidrosis, anhydrosis, X-ray abnormalities (osteoporosis, subarticular punched-out lesions, or osteoarthritis), atrophy or fibrosis of the affected musculature, flexion or extension deformity of distal joints, volar fat pad loss in fingers or toes, avascular necrosis of bone, chronic ulceration, carpal or tarsal tunnel syndrome

Rating %: 20

Criteria (verbatim). Arthralgia or other pain, numbness, or cold sensitivity plus one of the following: Tissue loss, nail abnormalities, color changes, locally impaired sensation, hyperhidrosis, anhydrosis, X-ray abnormalities (osteoporosis, subarticular punched-out lesions, or osteoarthritis), atrophy or fibrosis of the affected musculature, flexion or extension deformity of distal joints, volar fat pad loss in fingers or toes, avascular necrosis of bone, chronic ulceration, carpal or tarsal tunnel syndrome

Rating %: 10

Criteria (verbatim). Arthralgia or other pain, numbness, or cold sensitivity

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
—	With the following in affected parts:
30	Arthralgia or other pain, numbness, or cold sensitivity plus two or more of the following: Tissue loss, nail abnormalities, color changes, locally impaired sensation, hyperhidrosis, anhydrosis, X-ray abnormalities (osteoporosis, subarticular punched-out lesions, or osteoarthritis), atrophy or fibrosis of the affected musculature, flexion or extension deformity of distal joints, volar fat pad loss in fingers or toes, avascular necrosis of bone, chronic ulceration, carpal or tarsal tunnel syndrome
20	Arthralgia or other pain, numbness, or cold sensitivity plus one of the following: Tissue loss, nail abnormalities, color changes, locally impaired sensation, hyperhidrosis, anhydrosis, X-ray abnormalities (osteoporosis, subarticular punched-out lesions, or osteoarthritis), atrophy or fibrosis of the affected musculature, flexion or extension deformity of distal joints, volar fat pad loss in fingers or toes, avascular necrosis of bone, chronic ulceration, carpal or tarsal tunnel syndrome
10	Arthralgia or other pain, numbness, or cold sensitivity

Note (1): Separately evaluate amputations of fingers or toes, and complications such as squamous cell carcinoma at the site of a cold injury scar or peripheral neuropathy, under other diagnostic codes. Separately evaluate other disabilities diagnosed as the residual effects of cold injury, such as Raynaud's syndrome (which is otherwise known as secondary Raynaud's phenomenon), muscle atrophy, etc., unless they are used to support an evaluation under diagnostic code 7122.

Note (2): Evaluate each affected part (e.g., hand, foot, ear, nose) separately and combine the ratings in accordance with §§ 4.25 and 4.26.

The schedule spells it “anhydrosis.” The 30 percent line requires two or more of the listed findings. The 20 percent line requires one. The 10 percent line is arthralgia or other pain, numbness, or cold sensitivity, without that added list.

Note (2) names § 4.25 and § 4.26. Section 4.25 is the combined ratings table. Section 4.26 begins: when a partial disability results from disease or injury of both arms, or of both legs, or of paired skeletal muscles, the ratings for the disabilities of the right and left sides will be combined as usual, and 10 percent of this value will be added (not combined) before proceeding with further combinations, except as provided in paragraph (d) of that section. The note lists hand, foot, ear, and nose as examples of affected parts. This page does not decide which of those parts fall inside the § 4.26 opening sentence, and it does not compute a combined result. 38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher rating when the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating. Otherwise, the lower rating will be assigned. 38 CFR § 4.6 requires each element affecting the evidence to be studied so that decisions will be equitable and just.

38 CFR § 4.31 says that in every instance where the schedule does not provide a zero percent evaluation for a diagnostic code, a zero percent evaluation shall be assigned when the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met. DC 7122 does not print a 0 percent line.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.104, Diagnostic Code 7122, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

Each affected part

Note (2) says to evaluate each affected part separately. The examples in the note are hand, foot, ear, and nose. The note then says to combine the ratings under §§ 4.25 and 4.26.

Raynaud's syndrome in the note

Note (1) says to separately evaluate Raynaud's syndrome, which the note says is otherwise known as secondary Raynaud's phenomenon, unless it is used to support an evaluation under DC 7122. DC 7117 is titled “Raynaud's syndrome (also known as secondary Raynaud's phenomenon or secondary Raynaud's).” DC 7124 is “Raynaud's disease (also known as primary Raynaud's).” The note names the syndrome, not DC 7124.

Anhydrosis

That spelling is on the 30 and 20 percent lists, next to hyperhidrosis. The list also names tissue loss, nail abnormalities, color changes, locally impaired sensation, X-ray abnormalities, atrophy or fibrosis, deformity of distal joints, volar fat pad loss, avascular necrosis, chronic ulceration, and carpal or tarsal tunnel syndrome.

Evidence that speaks to each level

30, 20, or 10 in an affected part

What the rater needs to see. Pain, numbness, or cold sensitivity, and for 20 or 30 percent the one finding or the two-or-more findings the line lists.

Where that usually lives. The examination of that part, including the nail, color, sensation, X-ray, or ulcer findings the list names.

A separate code under Note (1)

What the rater needs to see. An amputation, a named complication, or another residual the note says to evaluate separately, unless that finding was used to support the DC 7122 evaluation.

Where that usually lives. The diagnosis and the code the decision actually used.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
30, 20, or 10 in an affected part	Pain, numbness, or cold sensitivity, and for 20 or 30 percent the one finding or the two-or-more findings the line lists.	The examination of that part, including the nail, color, sensation, X-ray, or ulcer findings the list names.
A separate code under Note (1)	An amputation, a named complication, or another residual the note says to evaluate separately, unless that finding was used to support the DC 7122 evaluation.	The diagnosis and the code the decision actually used.

VA’s public DBQ list, checked October 5, 2026, names “Artery and Vein Conditions” under Cardiovascular. The file is Artery and Vein Conditions.

The exam form

DC 7122 prints the 30, 20, and 10 percent lines and two notes. This page does not say the form replaces those lines.

Related codes and how they interact

Primary Raynaud's disease is a different code.

DC 7124 is primary Raynaud's. The DC 7122 note discusses secondary Raynaud's phenomenon and points that separate evaluation away from findings already used to support DC 7122.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain “cold injury.” DC 7122 is not a named row in that section.

Short answers

What is the VA rating for cold injury residuals?

Under 38 CFR § 4.104, Diagnostic Code 7122 is 30, 20, or 10 percent in affected parts, using the pain, numbness, cold sensitivity, and listed tissue findings on those lines. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

Does this page combine the parts into one percentage?

No. Note (2) tells the rater to evaluate each affected part and combine under §§ 4.25 and 4.26. This page quotes that note and does not produce a combined result.

FAQ

How does VA rate cold injury residuals under DC 7122?

In affected parts, arthralgia or other pain, numbness, or cold sensitivity plus two or more of the listed findings is 30 percent. The same symptoms plus one of those findings is 20. The symptoms alone are 10. Note (2) says to evaluate each affected part separately and combine under §§ 4.25 and 4.26. Education only.

Can Raynaud's syndrome be rated separately from DC 7122?

Note (1) says to separately evaluate Raynaud's syndrome unless it is used to support an evaluation under DC 7122. The schedule title for that syndrome is DC 7117. DC 7124 is primary Raynaud's disease.

Does the code print a 0 percent line?

No. The lowest printed line is 10 percent. Section 4.31 is the zero-percent rule for a code that does not print one.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 7122, each affected part, and whether Note (1) used a separate code.
The free worksheet is a place to write the code, the findings, and the records you already have. It does not file a claim or protect a filing date. An accredited representative is at find a VSO.
Other cardiovascular codes are on the cardiovascular diagnostic-code index.

Education only. Not legal or medical advice. My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative and does not file claims. VA decides every claim on its own evidence.

Other codes in this body system

Nearby catalog entries in Cardiovascular, ordered by diagnostic code number. All Cardiovascular codes

Also: DC code lookup (tools) lists the same index in a compact layout.

Source: 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 7122 • va.gov

⚠️ Important Disclaimer

This page provides general educational information based on public VA regulations and VA.gov resources. It is not legal or medical advice, and My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative. Any worksheets or draft documents produced by the tools must be reviewed for accuracy and are not filed with VA for you. Ratings and service connection are decided case-by-case from the individual record. Consult a VA-accredited VSO, claims agent, attorney, or qualified clinician for help with your situation, and verify current rules using the linked official source.