38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.124a

Neuralgia, circumflex nerve — VA Diagnostic Code 8718

Peripheral nerves

Diagnostic code

8718

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38 CFR § 4.124a lists Diagnostic Code 8718 as “Neuralgia.” under the circumflex nerve. That 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 circumflex paralysis scale is DC 8518.

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 § 4.124 extract for 2026-10-01 prints the neuralgia paragraph and does not print a source note in that response.

The rating criteria at each level

8718 Neuralgia — the row under the circumflex nerve

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). Neuralgia.

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
—	Neuralgia.

8518 Paralysis of the circumflex nerve — the scale § 4.124 names

Rating %: 50 major, 40 minor

Criteria (verbatim). Complete; abduction of arm is impossible, outward rotation is weakened; muscles supplied are deltoid and teres minor

Rating %: —

Criteria (verbatim). Incomplete:

Rating %: 30 major, 20 minor

Criteria (verbatim). Severe

Rating %: 10 major, 10 minor

Criteria (verbatim). Moderate

Rating %: 0 major, 0 minor

Criteria (verbatim). Mild

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
50 major, 40 minor	Complete; abduction of arm is impossible, outward rotation is weakened; muscles supplied are deltoid and teres minor
—	Incomplete:
30 major, 20 minor	Severe
10 major, 10 minor	Moderate
0 major, 0 minor	Mild

DC 8718 prints the word “Neuralgia.” and no number. DC 8618 prints “Neuritis.” and no number. The percentages above are the DC 8518 columns, headed Major and Minor.

Section 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 8518 scale, moderate is 10 major and 10 minor. The complete and severe lines are on the paralysis scale. They are above that maximum.

The same section says: “Tic douloureux, or trifacial neuralgia, may be rated up to complete paralysis of the affected nerve.” DC 8718 is the circumflex nerve. It is not that sentence.

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. 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 § 4.123 is the neuritis rule. Its maximum for neuritis characterized by the organic changes named in that section is severe, incomplete paralysis. DC 8618 is neuritis of this nerve. That maximum is not the § 4.124 maximum.

38 CFR § 4.69 determines the dominant hand. It does not use the words “Major” and “Minor.” Those are the column headings on DC 8518.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.124a and 38 CFR § 4.124, Diagnostic Code 8718, 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 8518 prints moderate as 10 in the Major column and 10 in the Minor column. Mild on that scale is 0 and 0. Severe is 30 and 20. Complete is 50 and 40.

The complete type picture

The complete line says abduction of the arm is impossible, outward rotation is weakened, and the muscles supplied are the deltoid and teres minor. The incomplete-paralysis preface uses that type picture as the comparison.

Wholly sensory

The preface says that when the involvement is wholly sensory, the rating should be for the mild, or at most, the moderate degree. For this nerve those two lines are 0 and 0, and 10 and 10.

Evidence that speaks to each level

The DC 8718 row

What the rater needs to see. Neuralgia of the circumflex nerve: 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 the circumflex nerve.

Maximum — moderate, 10 and 10

What the rater needs to see. The moderate incomplete line on DC 8518. 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.

Mild — 0 and 0

What the rater needs to see. The mild incomplete line on the same scale. Wholly sensory involvement is mild, or at most moderate.

Where that usually lives. Sensory findings that identify this nerve. The 0 and 0 are printed on DC 8518.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
The DC 8718 row	Neuralgia of the circumflex nerve: dull and intermittent pain, of typical distribution so as to identify the nerve, which is the § 4.124 description.	The neurological examination that identifies the circumflex nerve.
Maximum — moderate, 10 and 10	The moderate incomplete line on DC 8518. Section 4.124 makes that line the maximum for this neuralgia.	The same examination. The complete and severe lines are above that maximum.
Mild — 0 and 0	The mild incomplete line on the same scale. Wholly sensory involvement is mild, or at most moderate.	Sensory findings that identify this nerve. The 0 and 0 are printed on DC 8518.

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

The exam form

DC 8718 prints no percentage. Section 4.124 and DC 8518 are the scale. This page does not say the form replaces that text.

Related codes and how they interact

Paralysis and neuritis are the neighboring codes

DC 8518 is paralysis of the circumflex nerve. DC 8618 is neuritis. A note later in the peripheral-nerve schedule says combined nerve injuries should be rated by reference to the major involvement, or if sufficient in extent, consider radicular group ratings.

The preface says bilateral peripheral-nerve ratings are combined with application of the bilateral factor. 38 CFR § 4.26 is that factor. 38 CFR § 4.14 says the evaluation of the same disability under various diagnoses is to be avoided, and that the evaluation of the same manifestation under different diagnoses is to be avoided.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain “neuralgia” or “circumflex.” Section 3.309(a) lists “Other organic diseases of the nervous system.” That family name is not assigned to DC 8718.

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 circumflex nerve?

Under 38 CFR § 4.124a, Diagnostic Code 8718 prints “Neuralgia.” and no percentage. Section 4.124 caps that neuralgia at moderate incomplete paralysis. On Diagnostic Code 8518, moderate is 10 percent in the Major column and 10 percent in the Minor column. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

Is neuritis the same maximum?

No. Neuritis is DC 8618 and § 4.123. The neuralgia maximum is the moderate line in § 4.124.

FAQ

How does VA rate circumflex-nerve neuralgia under DC 8718?

The DC 8718 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 8518, moderate is 10 percent major and 10 percent minor. Mild is 0 and 0. Education only.

Are the 50 and 30 percent lines used for this neuralgia?

Those are the complete and severe lines on the DC 8518 paralysis scale. Section 4.124 sets the neuralgia maximum at moderate incomplete paralysis. The exception for a complete-paralysis maximum is tic douloureux, or trifacial neuralgia, not the circumflex nerve.

What if the findings are wholly sensory?

The peripheral-nerve preface says the rating should be for the mild, or at most, the moderate degree. For the circumflex nerve those lines are 0 and 0, and 10 and 10.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 8718 or DC 8518, 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 neurological 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 8718 • va.gov

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