Can I get disability benefits for chronic pain?

 

Yes, you can get disability for chronic pain if it is severe enough to prevent you from working for at least 12 months. While chronic pain itself is not a specific disability listing, it can qualify if it is caused by an underlying medical condition and you can provide extensive medical evidence to prove your pain significantly limits your ability to perform work activities. 

 

How to qualify

• Document the underlying condition: 

  You must show a diagnosed medical condition causes your chronic pain, such as arthritis, a spinal injury, or fibromyalgia. The Social Security Administration (SSA) evaluates your claim based on this underlying condition. 

• Gather medical evidence: 

  You will need a comprehensive set of medical records to support your claim, including:

  • A formal diagnosis from a qualified medical professional 

  • Results from physical exams, lab tests, X-rays, and MRIs 

  • Your doctor's opinion on your functional limitations, such as how much you can lift, stand, or sit 

  • Repeated diagnoses from multiple doctors over more than a year to show the condition is long-lasting 

• Show a loss of function: 

  You must prove that your pain prevents you from performing "substantial gainful activity" (SGA), which includes your past work or any other type of work. The SSA uses a Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) assessment to determine this. 

• Follow medical advice: 

  The SSA will expect you to be under ongoing medical treatment and to follow your doctor's instructions to show you are actively seeking to manage your pain. 

• Meet the duration requirement: 

  Your condition must be expected to last at least 12 continuous months or result in death. 

 

What helps your case

• Getting a second opinion: 

  Having a second doctor's opinion that supports your primary physician's findings can strengthen your application. 

• Proving you have paid into Social Security: 

  To qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you must have a sufficient work history. 

• Working with an attorney: 

  Due to the complexity of chronic pain disability claims, many people find it helpful to work with an attorney experienced in Social Security disability benefits.