Agent Orange Symptoms
Agent Orange exposure is strongly associated with a variety of health problems. These symptoms of Agent Orange exposure can range from the inconvenient to debilitating and even life-threatening.
If you are a Vietnam war Veteran or you otherwise experienced Agent Orange Exposure, and you are experiencing any of these Agent Orange exposure symptoms, you may be eligible for VA health care, VA disability benefits, and possibly other Agent Orange benefits.
Agent Orange Presumptive Benefits and Conditions
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has classified these Agent Orange-related diseases as presumptive. If you served in the military in Vietnam or on the Korean DMZ between specific dates of Vietnam Era, or you are otherwise known to have been exposed to the defoliant during your military service, and you are diagnosed with certain health problems, the VA will presume that your condition has service connection.
This makes it much easier to qualify for both VA health care and disability compensation. If you are an eligible Veteran (see below for eligibility criteria), you don’t have to prove that Agent Orange caused your condition or made it worse.
Eligibility for Agent Orange benefits.
To qualify for presumptive VA benefits for Agent Orange exposure, you must be able to show:
- A medical record of having been diagnosed with an Agent Orange-related illness or condition, AND any of the following:
- Service in Vietnam for any length of time between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975, OR;
- Service in or near the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) for any length of time between September 1, 1967 and August 31, 1971, OR;
- Service aboard a U.S. military vessel that entered the inland waterways of Vietnam, OR;
- Service aboard a vessel operating not more than 12 nautical miles seaward of the demarcation line of the waters of Vietnam and Cambodia (c.f. Public Law 116-23, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019),
OR; - You were exposed to herbicides in a location other than Vietnam or the DMZ, such as by loading, transporting, or storing them while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. Certain Veterans who operated from Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) bases near U-Tapao, Ubon, Nakhon Phanom, Udorn, Takhli, Korat, and Don Muang, near the airbase perimeter anytime between February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975 may qualify.
Army Veterans who served on these installations may qualify if you were a military policeman or can otherwise provide evidence you were stationed around the security perimeter of these bases.
C-123 crewmen and maintenance airmen may also qualify if they worked on C-123 planes between 1969 and 1986.
History of Agent Orange
During the Vietnam War, U.S. forces sprayed Agent Orange and other powerful defoliants over large swathes of the Vietnamese landscape. The U.S. military used over 20 million gallons of Agent Orange and other herbicides in Vietnam in order to strip the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army of cover and concealment and to kill off crops they depended on to feed their fighters.
It was common for U.S. forces to operate in the immediate vicinity of areas that were sprayed with defoliant. Thousands of U.S. service members were directly exposed to high concentrations of Agent Orange.
Agent Orange and Dioxin Exposure
Because of a manufacturing error, Agent Orange contained large amounts of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, or TCDD. This compound is a particularly toxic form of dioxin. Dioxins are common chemicals that often result from burning trash and leaves and in certain manufacturing processes. TCDD is the most dangerous of these compounds.
The compound is extremely persistent: It does not wash away readily with rain, but stays in the environment for years, building up in soil and sediment and accumulating in the food chain. Dioxins are fat-soluble.
Exposure to the TCDD dioxin is known to have potential immediate and long-term health effects.
What are the health effects of Agent Orange exposure?
There is no single set of symptoms diagnosed as Agent Orange exposure. Rather, physicians look for specific medical conditions that are correlated with exposure to Agent Orange and other herbicides and dioxins.
If your service dates and duty stations qualify, these are the medical conditions that qualify for presumptive status. Read below for the list of diseases associated with Agent Orange!
Here are the 14 health conditions associated with Agent Orange exposure as of 2020:
- Chronic B-Cell Leukemia
- Hodgkin’s disease
- Multiple Myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Prostate cancer
- Respiratory Cancers
- Soft tissue sarcomas
- Ischemic heart disease
- Chloracne
- Porphyria cutanea tarda
- Parkinson’s disease
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
- AL Amyloidosis
Read on below for a detailed explanation and breakdown of each medical condition that is associated with Agent Orange exposure. There is a growing body of medical evidence linking other conditions not listed here to Agent Orange exposure – we will also discuss those below!
Cancers associated with Agent Orange
- Chronic B-cell leukemia
- Weakness and fatigue
- Fever
- Pain in upper left abdomen (enlarged spleen)
- Frequent infections
- Unexplained weight loss
- Small red spotting in skin
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Night sweats
Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Weakness and fatigue
- Fever
- Pain in upper left abdomen (enlarged spleen)
- Frequent infections
- Unexplained weight loss
- Small red spotting in skin
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Night sweats
- Severe itching
- Increased sensitivity to alcohol
- Pain in lymph nodes after drinking alcohol
Multiple myeloma
- Bone pain, especially in chest or spine
- Fatigue
- Confusion/mental fogginess
- Weight loss
- Weakness
- Numbness in legs
- Nausea
- Loss of appetite
- Excessive thirst
- Constipation
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea/vomiting
- Headaches
- Night sweats
- Skin rash/itching
- Coughing/shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Abdominal pain
- Bone pain
- Headaches
- Abdominal swelling/fullness
- Chronic fatigue or weakness
Prostate cancer
- Difficulty urinating/weak stream
- Blood in semen
- Bone pain
- Erectile dysfunction
- Pelvic discomfort/pain
Respiratory cancers
- Cough that does not go away, or gets worse
- Chest pain, aggravated by laughing, coughing or deep breathing
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of voice/hoarseness
- Weakness/fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing
- Bronchitis and pneumonia infections that keep recurring
If lung cancer spreads to other areas of the body, you may experience:
- Jaundice
- Swelling of lymph nodes in neck or collarbone
- Bone pain
Soft tissue sarcomas (other than osteosarcoma, mesothelioma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, or chondrosarcoma).
- A growing lump under the skin
- Bowel or stomach blockage
- Blood in vomit or stool
- Black, tarry stool
These symptoms are usually caused by conditions other than a sarcoma. But they still warrant prompt medical attention.
Heart conditions
Ischemic heart disease
- Chest pain (angina)
- Chest pressure
- Shortness of breath
- Commonly asymptomatic
- Heart attack/myocardial infarction
Skin conditions and skin disorders associated with Agent Orange
Chloracne (or similar acneiform diseases)
- Excessively oily skin
- Blackheads/pimples, especially around the eyes and temples. Severe cases see blackheads and lesions spread to the rest of the face, neck, arms, and behind the ears.
- Fluid-filled cysts
- Dark hair growth
Porphyria cutanea tarda
- Blistering or increased hair growth on areas of skin exposed to sunlight
- Scarring
- ‘Crusting’ of skin
- Hyperpigmentation
- Liver damage
Chloracne and porphyria cutanea tarda must be diagnosed within 1 year of exposure and be at least 10% disabling to qualify for presumptive VA disability and benefits.
Neurological disorders associated with Agent Orange
Parkinson’s disease
- Tremors
- Slowed movement
- Rigid muscles
- Loss of ability to perform unconscious movements, such as blinking, swinging arms while walking, etc.
- Difficulty writing, or small handwriting
- Slurring or hesitation when speaking
Peripheral neuropathy
- Prickling, numbness or tingling in feet and hands
- Extreme touch sensitivity
- Muscle weakness
- Sharp, throbbing, burning or jabbing pains
- A feeling in hands like wearing gloves
- Paralysis
- Sensitivity to heat
- Extreme sweating
- Inability to sweat
- Blood pressure changes resulting in lightheadedness or dizziness
- Digestive, bowel or bladder problems
Other presumptive diseases associated with Agent Orange
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
- Patches of dark skin
- Excessive thirst
- Slow healing of cuts and scratches
- Fatigue
- Frequent urination
- Blurred vision
- Constant hunger
- Neuropathy
- Itching and yeast infections
- Sexual dysfunction
- Foot numbness or pain
- Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic syndrome
AL amyloidosis
- Enlarged tongue, sometimes “scalloped” around the edge
- Swelling of ankles and legs
- Difficulty swallowing
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue/weakness
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Numbness or tingling in hands and feet
- Irregular heartbeat
- Unexplained weight loss of 10 pounds or more
- Skin changes, including easy bruising, thickening and dark or purple patches around eyes.
If you have a condition not listed here, but you believe it is related to Agent Orange exposure, you may still qualify for benefits. To apply, you will need to show scientific evidence that your condition is related to Agent Orange exposure. A study published in a peer-reviewed medical or scientific journal may be acceptable.
You may also show medical evidence that your problem was caused by, or aggravated by your military service.
There are several other medical conditions that appear to be strongly linked to Agent Orange exposure, but which have not yet been added to the presumptive list:
Bladder cancer
- Blood or blood clotting in urine (hematuria)
- Burning sensation when urinating
- Frequent urination
- Difficulty urinating
- Lower back pain on one side
- Pelvic pain
Hypothyroidism.
- Constipation
- Dry skin
- Puffy face
- Weight gain
- Muscle weakness
- Hoarseness
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Severe headaches
- Blurred vision
- Chest pain
- Breathing difficulties
- Blood in urine
- ‘Pounding’ feeling in chest, neck, or ears
- Fatigue
- Confusion
Parkinson’s-like Tremors
- Symptoms were similar to Parkinson’s disease above.
- Voice problems
- Increased symptoms when in motion (Parkinson’s is more evident when at rest).
Again, if you have any symptoms that are severe or that worry you, you should seek medical attention, either through the VA health care system or your own providers.
Agent Orange and birth defects
Agent Orange exposure doesn’t just affect the Veteran. Tragically, exposure to Agent Orange and TCDD dioxins is associated with birth defects in exposed Veterans’ children. Developing fetuses are sensitive to dioxin exposure, and Agent Orange exposure is linked to increased miscarriage rates, spina bifida, and other brain and nervous system disorders.
Is there health care available for Veterans exposed to Agent Orange?
If you are a Veteran diagnosed with a qualifying condition, and you meet the service criteria outlined above, you may be eligible for VA treatment of your Agent Orange-related condition.
Health benefits may also be available for children of Veterans who have been exposed to Agent Orange, if they have certain birth defects, including spina bifida, cleft palate or cleft lip, Poland syndrome, congenital heart disease, and others.
Agent Orange Registry Health Exam
Eligible Veterans can receive an Agent Orange Registry Health Exam, free of charge. There is no obligation to do so. However, Veterans who qualify and participate in this program receive a free medical exam, lab tests, and free referrals to medical specialists if appropriate. Participation is voluntary.
Your Agent Orange Registry Health Exam will include:
- A physical exam
- Any necessary blood test, x-rays, imaging, or other tests and procedures
- History of known or suspected exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides
- Your health history
You do not have to enroll in the VA health care system to receive a registry health exam.
You do not have to submit to an Agent Orange Registry Health Exam to receive other VA benefits.
If you do have an Agent Orange-related disability or health condition, you may receive free health care for those conditions through the Veterans Administration. To receive care, you must enroll in the VA health care system.
In some cases, you may be referred to one of the VA’s three War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC) facilities – Washington, D.C., East Orange, NJ, and Palo Alto, CA. These three centers assist Veterans with deployment health concerns and difficult diagnoses.
Agent Orange Disability Compensation
If your service-connected condition is disabling, you may be entitled to VA disability compensation. Compensation is based on the condition, its severity (defined according to standard VA tables and physicians’ guides), and your familial status.
VA disability ratings range from zero to 100%, in ten-percent increments. The higher your assigned disability percentage, the greater the monthly compensation.
If your disability rating is 30% or higher, you may also qualify for additional monthly compensation if you are married or have dependents.
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