Military service can leave behind a lot of aches and pains that aren't always explained by a single incident. A combination of different events and the wear and tear of military life in general can lead to pain that becomes worse as time goes by. Unfortunately, due to the cost of medical care and the difficulty of transitioning to a civilian career with injuries, not all veterans may be able to afford immediate or lasting care. If you're in dire need of pain relief from a chiropractor, but don't know how to pay for it, consider a few ways that a chiropractor could help you with a Veterans Affairs claim.

How Can A VA Claim Help?

The Department of Veterans Affairs (known to many as the VA) provides support for veterans through a lot of different programs, most notably the disability benefits given to service members who were injured or negatively affected by military service.

Disability benefits include a monetary award based on the conditions involved and their severity. There is also a medical benefits package and referral policies that veterans can use without dipping too deeply into their disability payments. In order to survive on the economy, you may need to save your money and ask for a referral to a chiropractor for your specific issue.

In order to receive benefits, your condition must be service-connected. This means that your injury or condition must have happened during military service or made worse because of service. The service-connected label covers many injuries from broken limbs and damaged joints to swindling eyesight and psychological issues.

To support a service-connected claim, you need to prove that the issue was caused during military service and that you're suffering. Ideally, you'll want some sort of official complaint or medical results from your military days as well as a current medical examination to show your current condition.

How Can A Chiropractor Help?

A big part of supporting the claim is showing that you're still suffering from a problem. Unfortunately, even if you're experiencing extreme pain or discomfort, the personal feeling isn't enough to justify a disability rating. Examiners need to be able to figure out the cause of the pain or at least have a strong link to a past incident.

If you have medical record entries for specific incidents that could have caused the pain, your claim may be likely to succeed. If you're one of many veterans who left the military in pain and discomfort simply from the rough and unpredictable nature of military service with few medical reports, your claim relies heavily on current medical reports.

It's important that you file your claim as soon as you can. If you've barely been out of the military (generally less than a year, although there is no official time period), your complaint will still be close enough to be considered for military connection. The longer you wait, the greater the chance that your condition could have been caused by events outside of the military.

A chiropractor can help by performing an in-depth analysis of your condition and developing a medical report that details your condition. Although the VA performs medical tests during the Compensation and Pension (C&P) examination after you file a claim, it's good to have a second opinion. The VA supports (and often encourages) your right to seek civilian medical opinions.

Contact a chiropractor to begin building a better claim and a professional relationship. If you're approved, you can ask for a referral to the chiropractor like the one at Hidden Valley Chiropractic to continue your medical care.