Esophageal Stricture

DC 7203Digestive38 CFR 4.114, DC 7203

A narrowing of the esophagus (the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach) that makes it hard to swallow. The VA rates esophageal stricture based on how much food you can get down and whether the narrowing harms your overall health.

How the VA rates this condition

The VA rates this condition based on how much it affects your ability to work and carry out daily activities. The examiner will focus on the functional limitations your condition causes, not just the diagnosis itself.

Diagnostic code

DC 7203

Rating range

10% – 80%

Rating levels

Rating criteria are defined in 38 CFR 4.114, DC 7203. This guide presents a plain-language summary and is not a substitute for the full regulatory text. Always consult a VSO or VA-accredited attorney for case-specific advice.

Rating Levels

Your esophageal stricture allows only liquids to pass, with marked impairment of your health and severe complications such as aspiration pneumonia or the need for a feeding tube.

What the VA looks for

Liquid-only diet with severe health impairment
Severe complications documented (aspiration pneumonia, feeding tube)
Severe malnutrition and weight loss
Frequent hospitalizations
Inability to maintain adequate nutrition orally

Common Pitfalls

⚠Not getting regular endoscopies or barium swallow studies that objectively document the degree of narrowing — the VA needs imaging proof, not just your description of swallowing difficulty.
⚠Not documenting your specific diet limitations in detail — there is a big difference between being able to eat soft foods (10%) and being limited to liquids only (30% or higher).
⚠Not tracking your weight over time and getting lab work for nutritional deficiencies — weight loss and malnutrition are what push the rating from 30% to 50% or higher.
⚠Not connecting the stricture to a service-connected cause such as GERD, chemical exposure, or injury during service.
⚠Not reporting complications like aspiration pneumonia, choking episodes, or the need for a feeding tube — these support the highest rating level of 80%.

Related DBQ Forms

DBQ Esophageal Conditions (including GERD)

View evidence checklist →See secondary conditions →

Related Conditions

Conditions commonly associated with Esophageal Stricture or rated under the same body system.

GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)

DC 7346·Digestive·Related primary

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Hepatitis C

Crohn's Disease

Hemorrhoids

Ulcerative Colitis

Hiatal Hernia

Liver Cirrhosis

Condition Rating Guides

Understand what the VA looks for at each rating level — loading conditions…

How the VA rates this condition

Diagnostic code

DC 7203

Rating range

10% – 80%

Rating levels

Rating Levels

Your esophageal stricture allows only liquids to pass, with marked impairment of your health and severe complications such as aspiration pneumonia or the need for a feeding tube.

What the VA looks for

Liquid-only diet with severe health impairment
Severe complications documented (aspiration pneumonia, feeding tube)
Severe malnutrition and weight loss
Frequent hospitalizations
Inability to maintain adequate nutrition orally

Common Pitfalls

⚠Not getting regular endoscopies or barium swallow studies that objectively document the degree of narrowing — the VA needs imaging proof, not just your description of swallowing difficulty.

⚠Not documenting your specific diet limitations in detail — there is a big difference between being able to eat soft foods (10%) and being limited to liquids only (30% or higher).

⚠Not tracking your weight over time and getting lab work for nutritional deficiencies — weight loss and malnutrition are what push the rating from 30% to 50% or higher.

⚠Not connecting the stricture to a service-connected cause such as GERD, chemical exposure, or injury during service.

⚠Not reporting complications like aspiration pneumonia, choking episodes, or the need for a feeding tube — these support the highest rating level of 80%.