Diagnostic Code 8209 · 38 CFR §4.124a
The glossopharyngeal nerve (9th cranial nerve) controls sensation in the throat, helps with swallowing, provides taste to the back of the tongue, and helps regulate blood pressure and heart rate. Damage to this nerve can cause difficulty swallowing, loss of the gag reflex, altered taste, throat pain, and problems with blood pressure regulation. Veterans may damage this nerve from neck injuries, skull base fractures, brain surgery, or tumors affecting the base of the skull. Glossopharyngeal neuralgia — severe stabbing pain in the throat and ear — can also develop from nerve irritation.
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 30% | |
| 20% | |
| 10% |
Neurological examination documenting gag reflex, swallowing, and throat sensation, Swallowing study (videofluoroscopic) if dysphagia is present, Brain or skull base imaging showing the cause of nerve damage, Taste testing results if taste impairment is claimed, Service records documenting the injury or condition that damaged the nerve, ENT evaluation documenting throat findings