Fibromyalgia and Disability

Fibromyalgia is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed diseases. It is a rheumatic condition classified as the collective illness of four main symptoms working together. Those four symptoms include widespread pain and soreness, incapacitating pain, tender points and anxiety or depression. Other symptoms of fibromyalgia include but are not limited to: abdominal pain, chronic head aches, sensitivity to temperature change, painful menstrual cramps, irritable bowel syndrome, and anxiety or fatigue.  Typically fibromyalgia is misdiagnosed because it share symptoms with tendinitis, bursitis and osteoarthritis. So much so that many experts on the subject consider it to be in the same categorize it with arthritis and similar conditions. Unfortunately, because of the confusion surrounding fibromyalgia, obtaining disability benefits for fibro can be difficult.

Securing a Disability Claim

Securing a disability claim with fibromyalgia can be one of the most difficult diseases to pass through Disability Determination Services (DDS), especially if it is the only diagnosis on your record:

• Fibromyalgia paired with a history of Rheumatoid Arthritis or Degenerative Disc Disease can lead to a much easier decision for the DDS examiner assigned to your case. The reason for this is due to the ambiguous nature of the disease.
• Furthermore, the legitimacy of the disease is not fully established and the causes and symptoms can vary so much from one case to the next that it make it difficult for a DDS examiner to be sure without doubt that each specific case is legit. 

Improve your odds

Your chances of being approve for disability are greatly increased if you have previous record musculoskeletal diagnosis's in conjunction with fibromyalgia. Also, to an Examiner, the word of a Rheumatologist or Orthopedist will seem much more logical and hold more water when it comes to approving your claim for social security. 

Keep fighting

Many disability claims for fibromyalgia are denied leaving the claimant feeling neglected and helpless. If your claim is initially denied don’t give up, keep fighting! An appeal can be your ticket to fulfilling your social security claim. The appeal system has provided many claimants with the help they need.

Getting Help

The assistance of a qualified disability attorney can go a long way towards helping you to secure disability benefits with the SSA for your fibromyalgia. Your attorney can help you to gather the medical evidence you need in order to prove you are in fact disabled and entitled to benefits so you can get the help you need.