Could Chronic Headaches Qualify for Social Security Disability Benefits?

 Posted on May 20, 2022 in Social Security Disability

Headaches are among the most common ailments people suffer, but for many with chronic headaches or migraines, it can be a debilitating condition. Many people with severe migraine problems have difficulty working or carrying on in the same capacity before the migraines increased to such severity. If this describes your situation, it might be possible for you to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, and a qualified disability attorney can help you through the application process.

What You Should Know About Chronic Headaches

Those who suffer from migraines know how painful and distressing they can be. Common symptoms of severe migraines include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, dizziness, fever, blurred vision, and an intense sensitivity to light. All of these, of course, can impact a person’s ability to work.

A migraine, however, is just one of three types of severe headaches that a person can get. Others include tension headaches and cluster headaches. Cluster headaches are “described as having a burning or piercing quality that is throbbing or constant.” These usually last a short time, but many patients report that the cluster headache returns periodically throughout the day. A tension headache tends to increase and wane over prolonged periods of time and can affect a person’s ability to fall or stay asleep and result in general achiness and weariness.

Seeking SSDI Benefits

Because of these symptoms, severe headaches are often deemed a disabling condition. In a case in which a patient is unable to work because of these symptoms, he or she may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance payments. Unfortunately, many sufferers of chronic headaches see their applications initially denied because it is one of the most difficult conditions for which to present medical evidence. To qualify, a patient must be able to provide documented information that shows how the migraines or severe chronic headaches have impacted his ability to perform activities of daily living.

There are some types of migraine for which a patient is more likely to qualify for Social Security Disability. One of these is a hemiplegic migraine, a condition in which a patient will experience a temporary weakness on one side of their body as part of their migraine attack. This results in symptoms similar to those experienced by stroke patients, sometimes including temporary paralysis.

Contact a Dallas SSDI Benefits Attorney

If you or someone you love is experiencing chronic headaches and you want to learn about your options regarding Social Security Disability in Texas, contact the experienced Texas Social Security lawyers at The Law Offices of Coats & Todd. Call 972-671-9922 to discuss your case in a free case evaluation with a member of our team today.

Sources:

https://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/guide/migraines-headaches-symptoms

https://migrainetrust.org/understand-migraine/