Fibromyalgia Disability Ruling from Social Security Administration

Author: Disability Rights Law Center
Published: 2012/08/04 - Updated: 2021/08/13
Topic: Fibromyalgia - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis Introduction Main

Synopsis: As fibromyalgia ranges from mild to severe it is difficult to determine if a fibromyalgia sufferer is impaired enough to be entitled to Social Security Disability benefits.

Fibromyalgia is a common syndrome in which a person has long-term, body-wide pain and tenderness in the joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues. Fibromyalgia has also been linked to fatigue, sleep problems, headaches, depression, and anxiety.

To help clarify the process of disability determination for fibromyalgia the Social Security Administration released a new ruling that details how they evaluate fibromyalgia in disability claims.

Introduction

Social Security Administration Issues New Fibromyalgia Disability Ruling - Learn about the latest developments that may affect your right to Social Security Disability benefits.

Main Item

Fibromyalgia is a common syndrome in which a person has long-term, body-wide pain and tenderness in the joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues. Fibromyalgia has also been linked to fatigue, sleep problems, headaches, depression, and anxiety. People with fibromyalgia tend to wake up with body aches and stiffness. For some patients, pain improves during the day and gets worse at night. Some patients have pain all day long. To be diagnosed with fibromyalgia, you must have had at least 3 months of widespread pain, and pain and tenderness in at least 11 of 18 areas. The symptoms of fibromyalgia vary in severity over time, and may even be completely absent some days.

Social Security Disability benefits are reserved for those suffering from conditions so severe that they are rendered unable to work. But, given that the symptoms of fibromyalgia can range from mild to severe, it is not always easy to determine whether a fibromyalgia sufferer is impaired to such a level as to be entitled to Social Security Disability benefits. To help clarify the process of disability determination for fibromyalgia, on July 25, 2012, the Social Security Administration released a new ruling that details how they evaluate fibromyalgia in disability claims.

What Does It Take For Fibromyalgia to Qualify As an Impairment Under the New Ruling?

In disability findings in general, the Social Security Administration looks to the sufficiency of medical evidence to support a conclusion that a person's functional abilities are seriously limited. The new ruling describes the type of evidence the SSA needs to determine whether a person with fibromyalgia has a "medically determinable impairment."

A physician's opinion as to a patient's limitations alone is not enough to establish a medically determinable impairment. The physician must diagnose fibromyalgia and provide the type of evidence described in the new ruling, and this information must not be inconsistent with other information in the Social Security Disability applicant's case record.

Specifically, the new ruling sets out two instances in which fibromyalgia may qualify as a medically determinable impairment. First, if all three of the following are present:

In the second instance, the first and third factors above remain the same, but number two may be replaced by repeated occurrences of six or more fibromyalgia symptoms, signs or co-occurring conditions, chiefly fatigue, cognitive or memory problems, waking unrefreshed from sleep, depression, anxiety disorder or irritable bowel syndrome.

Attribution/Source(s):
This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its significant relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Disability Rights Law Center, and published on 2012/08/04 (Edit Update: 2021/08/13), the content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, Disability Rights Law Center can be contacted at california-disability.com. NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.

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Cite This Page (APA): Disability Rights Law Center. (2012, August 4 - Last revised: 2021, August 13). Fibromyalgia Disability Ruling from Social Security Administration. Disabled World (DW). Retrieved February 7, 2025 from www.disabled-world.com/health/fibromyalgia/new-ruling.php

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