Fibromyalgia DC 5025
Listed in the rating schedule as “Fibromyalgia (fibrositis, primary fibromyalgia syndrome)”. VA rates it under diagnostic code 5025 in 38 CFR 4.71a. Body system: Other.
Also searched as: FMS, fibrositis.
How VA rates it
The schedule allows 3 rating levels for this code: 10%, 20%, and 40%. VA picks the level whose criteria best match your symptoms and records.
Source: 38 CFR 4.71a on eCFR. Read the full criteria there before you file.
Rating levels and criteria
| Rating | What the schedule says |
|---|---|
| 40% | That are constant, or nearly so, and refractory to therapy |
| 20% | That are episodic, with exacerbations often precipitated by environmental or emotional stress or by overexertion, but that are present more than one-third of the time |
| 10% | That require continuous medication for control |
Criteria text from 38 CFR 4.71a, eCFR as of November 10, 2026. The eCFR is the official source if anything here differs.
With widespread musculoskeletal pain and tender points, with or without associated fatigue, sleep disturbance, stiffness, paresthesias, headache, irritable bowel symptoms, depression, anxiety, or Raynaud's-like symptoms:
Notes in the schedule (1)
Note: Widespread pain means pain in both the left and right sides of the body, that is both above and below the waist, and that affects both the axial skeleton (i.e., cervical spine, anterior chest, thoracic spine, or low back) and the extremities.
Conditions it can lead to
If this condition is service connected, these conditions are often claimed as secondary to it (38 CFR 3.310). Each one still needs its own diagnosis.
Major depressive disorder DC 9434 Established link
Living with fibromyalgia is strongly linked with depression and anxiety. VA rates all mental health conditions together under one rating.
What to gather: A mental health diagnosis and a medical opinion that your pain condition caused it or made it worse.
Sources: 38 CFR 3.310 (secondary service connection); Global prevalence of depression and anxiety among fibromyalgia patients: systematic review and meta-analysis (J Affect Disord, 2026)
Presumptive rules that include it
If your service matches one of these, VA presumes the link to service and you do not need a medical opinion connecting it.
Gulf War undiagnosed and multisymptom illness
Covered: Fibromyalgia.
Time limit: Must reach at least 10% disabling by December 31, 2026 under the regulation (38 CFR 3.317(a)(1)(i)), unless it started during service in the region. VA.gov says a diagnosis any time after separation counts, but file before that date to be safe.
Who qualifies: Service on or after August 2, 1990 in Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Oman, the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, or Red Sea, or on the ground in Afghanistan, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Syria, or Turkey. Symptoms must last at least 6 months and not be explained by another diagnosis.
38 CFR 3.317(a). Sources: 38 CFR 3.317; VA.gov: Gulf War illnesses linked to Southwest Asia service
Related medications
Medications prescribed for it
A prescription shows the condition was diagnosed. It still needs its own link to service.
- Duloxetine (Cymbalta, Drizalma). FDA labels: Duloxetine (DailyMed)
- Milnacipran (Savella). FDA labels: Milnacipran (DailyMed)
- Pregabalin (Lyrica). FDA labels: Pregabalin (DailyMed)
Check your claim
The claim finder asks about your service and current ratings, then lists conditions you may be able to claim. The calculator shows what a new rating does to your combined rating and monthly pay.
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Rating schedule data as of November 10, 2026. Secondary and presumptive links checked November 13, 2026.
Not affiliated with the VA. VA decides ratings. Free help from an accredited VSO is available at no cost.