Availability of Social Security Disability for Those With Digestive Disorders

The government understands that symptoms of severe digestive disorders can render an individual unable to work. For this reason, the Social Security Administration considers several digestive diseases as “qualifying disorders.” Those include:

– Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
– Chronic liver disease
– Gastrointestinal Hemorrhaging
– Short Bowel Syndrome
– Weight loss from digestive disorders
– Liver transplant

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are two somewhat common autoimmune disorders that can greatly affect an individual’s way of life. They are under the broad umbrella of “inflammatory bowel disease.” The two diseases are somewhat similar, affecting different parts of the intestine. The symptoms can be severe, and may include:

– Diarrhea
– Pain and cramping in the stomach
– Ulcers
– Blood in the stool
– Reduced appetite resulting in severe weight loss
– Fever
– Fatigue
– Arthritis
– Eye inflammation
– Mouth sores
– Skin disorders
– Inflammation of the liver or bile ducts
– Delayed growth or sexual development, in children
Qualifying for Disability Benefits with IBD.
If an applicant has IBD, they will need to prove that the disease is severe enough to warrant disability payments. To do so, there are two approaches. First, an applicant can show, by endoscopy or biopsy:
– Obstruction of stenotic areas in the small intestine or colon with proximal dilatation, requiring hospitalization, occurring on at least two occasions at least 60 days apart within a consecutive 6-month period.

Alternatively, an applicant can show he suffers from two of the following:

– Anemia;
– Serum albumin of 3.0 g/dL or less;
– Clinically documented tender abdominal mass palpable on physical examination with abdominal pain or cramping;
– Perineal disease;
– Involuntary weight loss of at least 10 percent; and
– Need for supplemental daily enteral nutrition
As you can see, the documentation requirement is strict and will not be waived for any applicant. All applicants must present medical evidence of the required findings to be eligible for disability payments.
If you do not suffer from one of the listed diseases above, that does not necessarily mean that you are ineligible for disability payments for you digestive diseases. For example, if an applicant can show that an unlisted disease, such as IBS or Celiac disease, interferes with their life to such an extent that they cannot perform the required tasks of a job, they may be eligible for disability payments.
Do You Suffer From a Digestive Disease?
If you suffer from a digestive disease and believe that you may qualify for disability payments you should contact an experienced disability attorney to assist you in filling out the disability application. The application process can be confusing and tedious, and it’s best to have the assistance of someone who knows the ins and outs of the social security disability system. Contact an experienced Indiana disability attorney today at, 765-644-8410.

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