Fibromyalgia was officially recognized by the Social Security Administration
Fibromyalgia was officially recognized by the Social Security Administration as a qualifying condition for Social Security Disability Benefits in a July 2012 ruling.
A complete copy of the ruling that provides guidance to SSD examiners is here: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/07/25/2012-17936/social-security-ruling-ssr-12-2p-titles-ii-and-xvi-evaluation-of-fibromyalgia#p-3
Based on these rules, the Social Security Administration will consider your fibromyalgia condition as a disability if your medical records demonstrates the following:
- A history of widespread pain that lasts for at least three months. The pain may fluctuate in intensity and may not always be present.
- Evidence that other disorders that could cause the symptoms or signs were excluded; and
- One of the following:
- At least 11 tender points on physical examination OR
- Repeated manifestations of six or more fibromyalgia symptoms including:
- fatigue
- cognitive or memory problems (often called “fibro fog”)
- waking unrefreshed
- depression
- anxiety disorder
- irritable bowel syndrome
- muscle pain
- muscle weakness
- headache
- pain or cramps in the abdomen
- Raynaud’s phenomenon
- hives or welts
- blurred vision
- fever
- heartburn
- oral ulcers
- loss of taste
- change in taste
- seizures
- dry eyes
- shortness of breath
- loss of appetite
- rash
- sun sensitivity
- hearing difficulties
- easy bruising
- hair loss
- frequent urination or bladder spasms
If you are a sufferer of fibromyalgia and are not able to work, you may now apply for Social Security Disability benefits with your condition being recognized. To increase your chances of getting Social Security Disability benefits, it is recommended to begin or continue treating with your physicians. If possible, you try seeing a rheumatologist (a physician who specializes in conditions such as fibromyalgia).
Although this new ruling is excellent news for those suffering from fibromyalgia, proving a fibromyalgia case in front of the Social Security Administration can still be tricky. You should consult with an experienced Social Security Disability attorney in your area to ensure the best possible result for your case.
This is NOT legal advice. To discuss your particular circumstances and claim, please contact a lawyer in your area.
Thank you
My Pleasure, this is good news for many!
I worked part-time as an RN for almost 30 years with fibromyalgia. It was difficult and painful. As the brain fog got worse, I changed types of jobs so that I wouldn’t be giving medications or any other way that I could injure a patient. It got two where I could no longer work at all and quit. After 2 years of staying home, I filled for Disability and was awarded so after the judges evaluation. I did not know until that day that SSI disability did not mean you can’t work at all ( which is what I thought) but that you can’t hold down a full time job. I had to laugh when I heard that. I told my lawyer that hadn’t worked full time for 25 years. Just to let those of you know.
Thanks for sharing Judy
Thank You for creating this site. I have been dealing with chronic pain now since a 2008 accident that injured my Head, Neck, Back and Shoulder and Right Ankle. I was 27 at the time of this unexpected accident. I was a College graduate, working, loving and living my life, with 2 kids and a wonderful husband, and then after the accident my life went down hill. I have multiple treaters I have been going to for years regarding joint and muscle pain inflammation, Depression, Impingements, scar tissue, Degenerative Disk, IBS, Migraines, Blood Clotting TMJ, Gall Bladder just to name a few, for years no real treatment was done besides my reporting and pain meds and depression meds. I wanted surgery to fix my shoulder and back up front and I felt like all my doctors thought that I was just crazy. Nobody would help me understand what it was I was going through. The doctors that did listen and did mention Fibromyalgia moved and at that time Fibromyalgia was a word I never heard and therefore didn’t accept that I had. I was finally diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2012 and I still don’t have a doctor that will treat this one issue. My life is now an emotional roller coaster I go through days where I fight to live and then weeks when I just want to die and give up. In 2014 I was just shy of reaching 300 pounds and in the worse pain of my life. The Rueumatologist basically confirmed I was indeed over weight with Fibromyalgia and to start there and nothing more. I was so mad and hurt at the doctors answers and lack of care, I took her copy of an RA magazine from her office. I read the RA magazine after that appointment about chronic pain and Fibromyalgia and Arthritis and that sparked something inside me to do research on my own. I ran into your site and others similar like it and it has given me the will to Fight again. Sites like yours and the people that post have given me Hope to Live. Learn about symptoms of chronic pain and fight to treat those symptoms. Ive began changing my eating and loosing weight and that has helped with some of my depression and some of my symptoms but not my pain. Some family and friends see my weight loss as I cured and happy and then try to dump their issues on me to fix. My husband and children have been through hell with me and I appreciate him more than he even knows or understands. I still don’t have a Fibromyalgia treater but your site and others like it have become my treater. I have not been able to work full-time in 8 and at all in 5 years due to the severe problems I’ve been dealing with and it scares me daily that if I don’t continue to fight and look for treatment on my own I will get forgotten, loose my case and my family. Im still looking and fighting for help and answers. I have not been approved SSI and have been denied several times and it’s extremely scary. I do have an attorney but not much get answered about this process and I often feel like I’m bombarding her with medical papers about my condition that never really get a response from her. I truly Thank You and everyone that leaves their responses it is so helpful for the chronic pain community. God Bless