38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.124a

Neuralgia, upper radicular group — VA Diagnostic Code 8710

Peripheral nerves

Diagnostic code

8710

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38 CFR § 4.124a lists “Upper radicular group (fifth and sixth cervicals),” then Diagnostic Code 8710 as “Neuralgia.” The row prints no percentage. Section 4.124 says cranial or peripheral neuralgia is rated on the same scale as the nerve involved, with a maximum equal to moderate incomplete paralysis. The paralysis scale for this group is DC 8510. That scale has Major and Minor columns. Appendix B to Part 4 indexes “Neuralgia, upper radicular group.” The rating row itself is only the word “Neuralgia.”

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 § 4.124a source note prints 29 FR 6718, May 22, 1964, as amended at 40 FR 42540, Sept. 15, 1975; 41 FR 11302, Mar. 18, 1976; 43 FR 45362, Oct. 2, 1978; 54 FR 4282, Jan. 30, 1989; 54 FR 49755, Dec. 1, 1989; 55 FR 154, Jan. 3, 1990; 56 FR 51653, Oct. 15, 1991; 57 FR 24364, June 9, 1992; 70 FR 75399, Dec. 20, 2005; 73 FR 54705, Sept. 23, 2008; 73 FR 69554, Nov. 19, 2008; 76 FR 78824, Dec. 20, 2011; 79 FR 2100, Jan. 13, 2014. The § 4.123 and § 4.124 XML for this version date do not print a Federal Register source note.

The rating criteria at each level

8710 Neuralgia — the row under the upper radicular group

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). Neuralgia.

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
—	Neuralgia.

8510 Paralysis of the upper radicular group — the scale § 4.124 names

Rating %: 70 major, 60 minor

Criteria (verbatim). Complete; all shoulder and elbow movements lost or severely affected, hand and wrist movements not affected

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). Incomplete:

Rating %: 50 major, 40 minor

Criteria (verbatim). Severe

Rating %: 40 major, 30 minor

Criteria (verbatim). Moderate

Rating %: 20 major, 20 minor

Criteria (verbatim). Mild

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
70 major, 60 minor	Complete; all shoulder and elbow movements lost or severely affected, hand and wrist movements not affected
—	Incomplete:
50 major, 40 minor	Severe
40 major, 30 minor	Moderate
20 major, 20 minor	Mild

DC 8710 prints the word “Neuralgia.” and no number. DC 8610 prints “Neuritis.” and no number. The percentages above are the DC 8510 columns, headed Major and Minor.

The heading says “fifth and sixth cervicals,” with “cervicals” in lowercase.

The complete cell does not end with a period. It says hand and wrist movements are not affected.

The Diseases of the Peripheral Nerves preface says: The term “incomplete paralysis,” with this and other peripheral nerve injuries, indicates a degree of lost or impaired function substantially less than the type picture for complete paralysis given with each nerve, whether due to varied level of the nerve lesion or to partial regeneration. When the involvement is wholly sensory, the rating should be for the mild, or at most, the moderate degree. The ratings for the peripheral nerves are for unilateral involvement; when bilateral, combine with application of the bilateral factor. That sentence uses “varied level.” It says wholly sensory involvement should be mild, or at most moderate. 38 CFR § 4.26 is the bilateral factor. 38 CFR § 4.69 determines the dominant hand. It does not use the words “Major” and “Minor.” 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 § 4.124 says neuralgia, characterized usually by a dull and intermittent pain, of typical distribution so as to identify the nerve, is to be rated on the same scale, with a maximum equal to moderate incomplete paralysis. On the DC 8510 scale, moderate is 40 major and 30 minor. Severe is 50 and 40. Complete is 70 and 60. Those two lines are above the neuralgia maximum. The same section says: “Tic douloureux, or trifacial neuralgia, may be rated up to complete paralysis of the affected nerve.” DC 8710 is the upper radicular group. It is not that sentence. 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 8510’s lowest printed line is mild, 20 and 20.

38 CFR § 4.123 is the neuritis rule. Its maximum for neuritis characterized by the organic changes named in that section is severe, incomplete paralysis. On this scale that is 50 and 40. Neuritis not characterized by those organic changes is capped at moderate. The sciatic clause is not this group. DC 8610 is neuritis of the upper radicular group. DC 8611 is neuritis of the middle radicular group. The middle heading has no cervical parenthetical, and its complete cell names adduction, abduction and rotation of the arm.

A note printed after DC 8719 says: “Combined nerve injuries should be rated by reference to the major involvement, or if sufficient in extent, consider radicular group ratings.” That note is not printed under DC 8710.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.124a and 38 CFR § 4.124, Diagnostic Code 8710, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

Moderate is the neuralgia maximum

Section 4.124 says the maximum is equal to moderate incomplete paralysis. DC 8510 prints moderate as 40 in the Major column and 30 in the Minor column. Mild on that scale is 20 and 20.

Hand and wrist not affected

The complete cell says all shoulder and elbow movements lost or severely affected, hand and wrist movements not affected. The middle radicular complete cell is a different sentence.

Fifth and sixth cervicals

Those words are in the heading, in parentheses, and “cervicals” is lowercase. Appendix B’s index line does not repeat that parenthetical.

Evidence that speaks to each level

The DC 8710 row

What the rater needs to see. Neuralgia of the upper radicular group: dull and intermittent pain, of typical distribution so as to identify the nerve, which is the § 4.124 description.

Where that usually lives. The neurological examination that identifies this group.

Maximum — moderate, 40 and 30

What the rater needs to see. The moderate incomplete line on DC 8510. Section 4.124 makes that line the maximum for this neuralgia.

Where that usually lives. The same examination. The complete and severe lines are above that maximum.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
The DC 8710 row	Neuralgia of the upper radicular group: dull and intermittent pain, of typical distribution so as to identify the nerve, which is the § 4.124 description.	The neurological examination that identifies this group.
Maximum — moderate, 40 and 30	The moderate incomplete line on DC 8510. Section 4.124 makes that line the maximum for this neuralgia.	The same examination. The complete and severe lines are above that maximum.

VA’s public DBQ list, checked October 5, 2026, names “Peripheral Nerves” under Neurological. The file is Peripheral Nerves.

The exam form

DC 8710 prints no percentage. Section 4.124 and DC 8510 are the scale. This page does not say the form replaces that text.

Related codes and how they interact

Paralysis of this group is DC 8510.

That scale prints 70 and 60, 50 and 40, 40 and 30, and 20 and 20. Neuritis of this group is DC 8610, and § 4.123 can reach the severe line when the organic changes that section names are present. Middle-radicular neuritis is DC 8611.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain “neuralgia” or “radicular.” It lists “Other organic diseases of the nervous system” without a diagnostic code. That family row stays without a code.

A separate question, when a presumption does not decide it, is a medical question on the facts under 38 CFR § 3.310. Paragraph (a) covers disability proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disease or injury. Paragraph (b) covers increase in severity and requires a medical baseline.

Short answers

What is the VA rating for neuralgia of the upper radicular group?

Under 38 CFR § 4.124a, Diagnostic Code 8710 prints “Neuralgia.” and no percentage. Section 4.124 caps that neuralgia at moderate incomplete paralysis. On Diagnostic Code 8510, moderate is 40 percent major and 30 percent minor. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

Is neuritis the same maximum?

Neuritis is DC 8610 and § 4.123. When the organic changes that section names are present, the neuritis maximum is severe, 50 major and 40 minor. The neuralgia maximum is the moderate line.

FAQ

How does VA rate upper-radicular-group neuralgia under DC 8710?

The DC 8710 row prints no percentage. Section 4.124 rates neuralgia on the scale for the nerve involved, with a maximum equal to moderate incomplete paralysis. On DC 8510, moderate is 40 percent major and 30 percent minor. Mild is 20 and 20. Education only.

Are the 70 and 50 percent lines used for this neuralgia?

Complete is 70 major and 60 minor. Severe is 50 and 40. Section 4.124 sets the neuralgia maximum at moderate incomplete paralysis, which is 40 and 30. The exception for a complete-paralysis maximum is tic douloureux, or trifacial neuralgia, not this group.

What does the heading add in parentheses?

“Fifth and sixth cervicals.” The word “cervicals” is lowercase. The middle radicular heading does not have that parenthetical.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 8710 or DC 8510, and whether the evaluation stopped at the moderate line.
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 nerve codes are on the peripheral-nerve 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 Peripheral nerves, ordered by diagnostic code number. All Peripheral nerves codes

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

Source: 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 8710 • va.gov

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