For many years, people were told that fibromyalgia wasn’t a real condition. Since it has no clear, defined cause, many medical providers diagnosed patients with different diseases or started thinking that they were hypochondriacs.
Today, fibromyalgia is recognized as a real, and debilitating, medical condition. Even though it has no known cause, the symptoms are obvious and have a lasting impact on the person struggling with it.
What is fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a condition that affects the muscles and soft tissues. It’s a common disorder among those between 35 and 50, but researchers still haven’t identified a cause. Unfortunately, this condition causes chronic fatigue, sleep disorders, mood issues and memory loss. It’s now believed that this condition amplifies the pain sensations in the brain, changing the way that pain and other sensations are translated by the spinal cord and brain.
Can people with fibromyalgia get Social Security Disability Insurance?
Yes, they can. However, it may be more difficult to prove that you have fibromyalgia or that it will keep you from working for 12 months or longer. It’s important to show documentation of your symptoms and how they impact your ability to work, such as:
- Pain throughout the body
- Restless sleep
- Numbness in the feet or hands
- Impaired cognitive function
- Chronic fatigue
To get documentation of these symptoms, it’s necessary for you to go to see a medical professional about your condition. Get a written diagnosis, and make sure that you have several months of information on this condition. You may need to see specialists, have imaging tests or go through other testing to show that you are suffering from a disability as a result of fibromyalgia.
Your attorney can help with seeking SSDI benefits
When you seek Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, your attorney can help you fill out the appropriate documents and gather all the evidence possible to make your case.
Many times, initial applications for SSDI are rejected. If you are denied the benefits that you deserve, then you may wish to speak with your attorney about appealing that decision and gathering more information for the Social Security Administration.