Social Security Disability Law: News and Facts

Social Security receives more disability applications for back problems than for any other physical illness or injury. Disability examiners see back problems and injuries day after day, and they will not grant disability benefits for the moderate or intermittent back pain so many people get after age 40 or 50. Problems with your lower back affect everything you do during the day. Many of our clients suffering from lower back pain tell us that you do not realize how much you use your lower back until it gets injured. Spinal Stenosis is a disorder of the skeletal spine (vertebral column) affecting musculoskeletal functioning. In laymen’s terms, it is a narrowing of the spaces within your spine, which can put pressure on the nerves that travel through the spine. Spinal stenosis occurs most often in the lower back and the neck. Some people with spinal stenosis may not have symptoms.  Musculoskeletal disorders like stenosis may be congenital or acquired. The new listing 1.16 has four pa...

Heart conditions can be found in section 4.00 Cardiovascular System of the Blue Book. Some heart conditions that qualify for disability benefits include, but are not limited to, chronic heart failure, Ischemic heart disease , heart transplant and many more. Ejection fraction acts as a medical measurement of the percentage of blood being pushed out of your heart on each contraction of the organ. The function of the heart is to contract and relax. Each heartbeat consists of a cycle of these two movements. On contraction, blood is forced through the ventricles. Even a particularly strong contraction, however, won’t push all of the blood out of the ventricle. This is where the ejection fraction measurement comes in. It is a measurement of how much blood is pumped out compared to how much remains in the ventricle. The results of an ejection fraction test show doctors how effective the heart is at pumping blood. The detection of a dysfunction during this test can indicate a significantly inc...

Urinary incontinence is the inability to control the release of urine from your bladder. Whether you suffer from the occasional, minor leak or you are completely incapable of controlling your bladder flow this can be an embarrassing and disruptive condition that may affect you socially, emotionally and professionally. According to the Mayo Clinic there are a variety of different types of urinary incontinence: stress incontinence, urge incontinence, overflow incontinence, mixed incontinence, functional incontinence and total incontinence. Each type of incontinence occurs at different times and for different reasons. For instance, stress incontinence is common in women who have experienced childbirth or men who have had their prostate removed. It occurs when the sphincter muscle in the bladder is weakened and pressure is exerted on the bladder through laughing, exercise or coughing. It is not uncommon for many claimants who have severe urinary disorders to have symptoms which can include...

Ataxia is a rare neurological symptom that presents as loss of voluntary coordination of muscle movement.  A progressive, degenerative condition of the nervous system, it most commonly occurs due to a deficiency in the nervous system or brain.  Ataxia impacts a person’s ability to talk, walk, and use fine motor skills.  A less severe form of this condition is classified as dystaxia. The most common occurrences of ataxia are attributed to the cerebellum, the portion of the brain responsible for motor control. Different neurological deficits in the cerebellum can lead to more specific diagnoses of truncal ataxia and appendicular ataxia. Symptoms include stumbling or falling; slurred speech; and signs of being uncoordinated. People of all ages can develop ataxia.  The most common type of hereditary ataxia is Friedreich’s ataxia which affects approximately one in every 50 thousand people. Symptoms often develop before the age of 25. Some of these symptoms include difficu...

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a condition that affects the blood flow of a sufferer. People who have POTS can experience a diminished quality of life. The symptoms and complications of this condition may make it difficult for a person to enjoy leisure activities or complete job tasks. There are different types of POTS. These can include: Neuropathic POTS: This type is characterized by damaged nerves. Specifically, the nerves that are responsible for the constriction of blood vessels in the abdomen and limbs. Hyperadrenergic POTS: This type is characterized by high levels of norepinephrine, which is a stress hormone. Hypovolemic POTS: This type is characterized by extremely low blood volume. Secondary POTS: This type of characterized by other conditions that cause autonomic neuropathy. These other conditions can include diabetes, lupus, or other autoimmune diseases. Aside from the lightheadedness, fainting, increased heart rate, and decreased blood pressure, other ...

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a common condition that most people have been exposed to within their lifetime. It is considered to be a part of the herpes family, and most people who are exposed to EBV fully recover from the virus within one or two months. However, the virus will continue to lie dormant in the body. People who have had EBV are able to spread it to others. EBV is known to cause or increase the risk of a number of other conditions as well. These include: Mononucleosis Immune system infections Blood infections Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Dermatomyositis Sjogren’s syndrome Systemic lupus erythematosus Rheumatoid arthritis The EBV is a member of the herpes family of viruses. Those who are infected typically suffer from symptoms such as: Joint pain Difficulty with concentration Chronic fatigue Common symptoms of EBV include fever, swollen glands and pharyngitis. While it is uncommon for people who have had EBV to develop long-term complications, it is possible. Long-term complicati...