Can You Get Disability for Parkinson’s Disease?

Parkinson’s disease, also known as idiopathic Parkinsonism or primary Parkinsonism is a type of progressive degenerative disorder affecting the CNS i.e., central nervous system of humans. This Parkinson’s disease problem takes place because of death of specific cells containing a neurotransmitter called dopamine within the middle part of the human brain.

Tremor is the common and an early symptom of the Parkinson’s disease that usually starts in a particular hand and usually takes place when a person keeps his hand at the rest condition. Pill rolling is a distinctive characteristic associated with the tremor. It is a circular motion, in which tip of a person’s thumb meets at the end of his index finger.

Another typical feature present in Parkinson’s disease is that symptoms of the problem usually start at a particular side of human body with side’s symptoms consistently possessing a huge severity as compared to those present on other side. Other motor symptoms related to Parkinson’s disease are-

Bradykinesia: Slowness in body movement or Bradykinesia that usually starts affecting fine motor skills, like buttoning, writing and clothing and similar others and worsens to various gross motor skills, like walking and running with the progression of the problem.

Rigidity: Rigidity present in the limbs because of excessive muscular contractions.

Postural Instability: Postural instability because balance becomes difficult when a person reaches to later stages of the issue resulting in falls from bed and fractured bones.

Other Problems: Other physical symptoms in this case may include forward flexing walking posture, blank expression in one’s face, speech problems, and loss of few automatic movements, like swinging of arms or blinking and a shuffling gate.

Adults diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (almost every type) may become eligible to receive benefits associated with Social Security. For this, individuals have to meet specific criteria mentioned in the Parkinsonism disability listing created by Social Security Administration.

To meet the disability listing for Parkinsonian syndrome or in order to qualify to get benefits as per the listing for Parkinsonian Syndrome, medical records of a patient should essentially document any one between the following-

Inability of controlling body movements of 2 minimum extremities (one arm and one leg, two legs or two arms) even though, the patients undergo for treatment of minimum three months. This should lead to extreme difficulty in the ability of maintaining balance while walking or standing, to use arms, stand up from seating position.

Marked physical issues with marked limitation in any one among of the following-

• Thinking, such as understanding, applying or remembering any information.
• Interacting with other people (social problems).
• Completion of tasks (difficulty in concentration, speed or persistence).

Patients should essentially note that marked in this case indicates more problem than moderate does, but less than problem is extreme.

If your Parkinsonism problem fails to meet the aforementioned guidelines, as mentioned in this list, you may even potentially qualify to get benefits under various medical vocational rules. In order to receive these benefits, you have to prove that your medical condition is severe enough to limit your physical ability significantly to perform basic activities related to work.

A doctor works for the SSA i.e. Social Security Administration will review the medical records, reports associated with symptoms, doctors’ opinions, any consultative examiner and other evidence in the claim file. Later on, doctor will assign you a physical residual functional ability, which is the highest work classification that SSA may feel that an individual can perform.

If a person deals with mental problem because of Parkinsonism, person may receive mental RFC based on psychologist or psychiatrist working on behalf of SSA. SSA will later on, will send a vocational analyst to consider the candidate’s age, education level and previous work experience to determine in case you may return to the work. If not, analyst may decide if such patients may do any other job.

If a person has any other mental or physical condition that influences work ability, SSA will focus on such conditions while assigning an RFC and create the necessary determination. If you have crossed 50 years age, you will have relatively higher chance of getting approval to get benefits. Less education and history associated with unskilled work may even increase your odds associated with approval of your application.

Also Read:

• Parkinson’s Disease: Causes, Symptoms, Investigations, Treatment
• What Happens To Someone With Parkinson’s Disease?
• What Are The Five Stages Of Parkinson’s Disease?
• What is the Life Expectancy of Someone with Parkinson’s Disease?
• Why do People With Parkinson’s Lose Weight?
• How Do People Die Of Parkinson’s?
• Who May Be Trapped with Parkinson’s Disease?