Migraines secondary to Tinnitus

joeallen

joeallen

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Registered Member
I just submitted a C&P claim for Migraine headaches secondary to Tinnitus as before my Migraines start my Tinnitus gets really bad. I am curious if anyone else has ever gone through this, and how hard of a process it is? I have seen around that it has been said that Tinnitus doesn't cause headaches rather headaches cause tinnitus! Any and all info I can get here to make this process easier and less likely that I will have to go through the appeals process would be greatly appreciated!
 
There are cases where tinnitus is considered the aura to a migraine. My neuro didn't consider that a profitable line of inquiry, but I believe my tinnitus is an aura, nearly all of my migraines being proceeded by intense tinnitus. If you have had tinnitus for years and just recently developed migraines, I think it will be hard to argue they are connected. If tinnitus has been getting worse somehow, maybe the noises could be causing migraines now that its more intense.

Is your tinnitus pulsitile, i.e. is timed with your heart beating? That may be a symptom of a much more serious condition that can also cause migraines.
 
scoutCC said:
There are cases where tinnitus is considered the aura to a migraine. My neuro didn't consider that a profitable line of inquiry, but I believe my tinnitus is an aura, nearly all of my migraines being proceeded by intense tinnitus. If you have had tinnitus for years and just recently developed migraines, I think it will be hard to argue they are connected. If tinnitus has been getting worse somehow, maybe the noises could be causing migraines now that its more intense.

Is your tinnitus pulsitile, i.e. is timed with your heart beating? That may be a symptom of a much more serious condition that can also cause migraines.
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No it is not pulsitile. I've Been getting headaches since my time in service but they were never severe enough for me to really worry about it as simple Tylenol took care of them but now they have gotten to where i cant control them on my own and need medication for them. I get chronic headaches nearly every day and usually a couple times a month they turn into Migraines. I think the tinnitus is the aura for the migraine as every time i can think of before my migraine starts my tinnitus flares up really bad!
 
Might be able to make an argument that your migraines started while in service and tinnitus is secondary to the migraines rather than the other way around.

Many people use migraines as another word for a severe headache. They are better described as a specific type of headache. It is possible to have migraines that are very minor and treated with over the counter meds or even nothing. Overtime they tend to get worse, so a timeline with the initial onset during service that was ignored and a diagnosis or migraines later, when they presented as prostrating, would probably make sense. A Neuro may be able to say that your old headaches were actually better classified as migraines (rated 0% while in service, but still service connected), and are now more severe and should have a higher rating. Its easier if you have a medical record of even a minor complaint of headaches while in service, but not strictly necessary.
 
scoutCC said:
Might be able to make an argument that your migraines started while in service and tinnitus is secondary to the migraines rather than the other way around.

Many people use migraines as another word for a severe headache. They are better described as a specific type of headache. It is possible to have migraines that are very minor and treated with over the counter meds or even nothing. Overtime they tend to get worse, so a timeline with the initial onset during service that was ignored and a diagnosis or migraines later, when they presented as prostrating, would probably make sense. A Neuro may be able to say that your old headaches were actually better classified as migraines (rated 0% while in service, but still service connected), and are now more severe and should have a higher rating. Its easier if you have a medical record of even a minor complaint of headaches while in service, but not strictly necessary.
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I dont have anything in my medical files from my time in service of a complaint about headaches. I do currently have a diagnoses from my civilian provider of migraines as well as a diagnosis with a perscription for migranes from the VA outpatient clinic here where i live. should i seek out Civilian doctors or use my VA doctor to generate as much of a paper trail as possible so i can have numerous medical documents to submit or just wait untill my C&P exam and see what they say then just take it from there?
 
Well, you're gonna need a doc to come up with a nexus statement. C&P doc may draw the connection, but my understanding is most of them are RNs, this type of story would best be explained by a neuro who is up to date on research, VA or civilian. A doc needs to say it is as likely as not, 50% likelihood (or a better statement), that you migraines were caused by your tinnitus, or that your migraines were in an early stage while in service. Some people think a VA doc is taken more seriously, but I just think they write things up better to what a rater can understand. Any doc that will support your idea as realistic is good, but they need to back it up with some sort of literature, can't just pull any old idea out of the air. Part of a doc's job is to be up to date on research out there, so they should know if there is a valid backing to the story.

Like I said, I have heard of migraines taking awhile to develop into prostrating. I have heard of tinnitus being a possible sign of migraines, tinnitus is normally secondary to hearing loss, but you could say tinnitus is secondary to migraines. So since they know the tinnitus started in service, and you can establish that your tinnitus and migraines are connected now, they should be able to say the migraines started at the same time as the tinnitus. I could understand a case for migraines starting in service, despite a lack of medical treatment for them while in service.

I have not heard of tinnitus causing migraines, which is what secondary connection means. Tinnitus is the #1 claim out there I think, many have it without migraines. Of course many have migraines without tinnitus, but aura is a common relationship to migraines, though normally visual auras. Really though, its how a doc can justify the nexus that matters.
 
If the VA Dr. and Neuro Dr. annotate as prostrating migraines 1-2 times a week, with several medications including Botox failure, am I likely to be rated at 50%?
 
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