Does nerve damage qualify for disability?

If you suffer from a condition that causes nerve damage that is so severe that it impacts your ability to work for at least a year, you may be eligible to receive Social Security Disability benefits.

Is chronic nerve pain considered a disability?

The SSA does not consider chronic pain to be a disability, so there is no listing for it in the SSA's Blue Book. Chronic pain, even if it is severe and disabling, does not qualify unless you can prove it is caused by a verifiable condition that lasts for at least 12 months.

How much disability is nerve damage?

Complete paralysis is rated at 80 percent while incomplete paralysis has lower ratings, ranging from 10 to 60 percent, depending on the specific level. VA would look at the evidence to determine the level of severity caused by the veteran's sciatic nerve issue and assign the corresponding rating.

Is nerve damage a serious condition?

Nerve damage can occur after any injury, with the results often being related to the severity of the injury. Minor injuries may cause some nerve damage, but your body tries to heal itself whenever possible. However, more serious injuries can cause severe nerve damage which often requires nerve repairs.

Is peripheral nerve damage a disability?

The Blue Book lists neuropathy as a qualifying disability under Section 11.14. However, you also must meet the severity of symptoms standards listed in the Blue Book. For neuropathy, that means meeting one of two criteria. First, you must experience diminished motor function on at least two extremities.

Neuropathy, Nerve Pain and Social Security Disability

What conditions automatically qualify you for disability?

Can I work if I have neuropathy?

If you suffer from neuropathy, it may affect your mobility, limit your abilities to perform routine daily tasks, and even keep you from working and earning a living. You may be able to qualify for disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA).

How do you know if you have permanent nerve damage?

What happens if nerve damage goes untreated?

Left untreated, nerve damage may worsen over time. It can sometimes start in the nerves farthest from the brain and spinal cord -- like those in the feet and hands. Then it may move up into the legs and arms.

How is nerve damage diagnosed?

CT or MRI scans can look for herniated disks, pinched (compressed) nerves, tumors or other abnormalities affecting the blood vessels and bones. Nerve function tests. Electromyography (EMG) records electrical activity in your muscles to detect nerve damage.

Is a sciatic nerve a disability?

A sciatic nerve condition that involves complete paralysis of the sciatic nerve, which causes all of the muscles in the leg and below the knee to fail to work, and causes serious difficulty in bending the knee, could result in an 80 percent disability benefits rating.

How long should I stay off work with sciatica?

Rest for a couple of days after a flare-up begins, but don't wait too long before resuming activity. Long periods of inactivity will actually make your symptoms worse. Applying hot or cold packs to your lower back may provide temporary relief. You can also try these six stretches to help relieve sciatic pain.

Can I claim for sciatica?

This is a difficult standard to meet, and often sciatica alone will not be enough to qualify a person as disabled. Because most cases of sciatica resolve with time, only people whose sciatica is caused by a chronic disease or permanent injury usually qualify for benefits.

What kind of disability is chronic pain?

Chronic pain disability (CPD) is the term used to describe the condition of a person whose chronic pain has resulted in marked life disruption. Chronic pain is pain with characteristics compatible with a work-related injury, except that it persists for 6 or more months beyond the usual healing time for the injury.

Can a doctor refuse to give you pain medication?

Know your rights!

As someone with a diagnosed, painful condition, your care team has a moral and ethical obligation to help you. In saying this, your physician can refuse you pain medication or deny you as a patient.

How do you prove chronic pain?

Imaging and Nerve Tests

If your healthcare provider suspects your chronic pain is caused by bone, muscle or nerve damage, he may have you undergo a scan or nerve testing. These include x-rays and MRIs, which can reveal underlying bone and tissue damage.

Does nerve damage show on MRI?

Nerve damage can usually be diagnosed based on a neurological examination and can be correlated by MRI scan findings. The MRI scan images are obtained with a magnetic field and radio waves. No harmful ionizing radiation is used.

How do neurologists treat nerve pain?

Multimodal therapy (including medicines, physical therapy, psychological counseling and sometimes surgery) is usually required to treat neuropathic pain. Medicines commonly prescribed for neuropathic pain include anti-seizure drugs such as: Gabapentin (Neurontin®).

What is end stage neuropathy?

Stage 5: Complete Loss of Feeling

This is the final stage of neuropathy, and it is where you've lost any and all feeling in your lower legs and feet. You do not feel any pain, just intense numbness. This is because there are no nerves that are able to send signals to your brain.

How is nerve damage treated?

Correcting nutritional deficiencies. Changing medications when drugs are causing nerve damage. Physical therapy or surgery to address compression or trauma to nerves. Medications to treat autoimmune conditions.

Is nerve damage fatal?

When those deposits build up, peripheral nerves start to malfunction, and the patient experiences peripheral neuropathy. The disease eventually involves sensory, motor and autonomic nerves, and it is fatal.”

What are the types of nerve damage?

Seddon² classified nerve injuries into three broad categories; neurapraxia, axonotmesis, and neurotmesis.

Does neuropathy qualify for SSDI?

If your peripheral neuropathy is so severe that you are unable to work, you may be eligible to receive assistance from the Social Security Disability Insurance Program (SSDI). Because peripheral neuropathy affects individuals so differently, not everyone who seeks disability benefits will be awarded them.

Can neuropathy affect your ability to walk?

Common symptoms of neuropathy include numbness and tingling, frequent falls, muscle weakness and difficulty walking, and low blood pressure.

Can you get SSDI for neuropathy?

The Social Security Administration (SSA) recognizes both peripheral neuropathy and diabetic neuropathy as potentially disabling conditions that may qualify applicants to received SSDI benefits.