Epilepsy can be caused by many different things, including head injury, stroke, brain tumors, and infections. Helpful Tips for the Disability Claimant: Knowing How To Describe Pain, how to describe pain in a Social Security Disability case, how to effectively describe pain in a disability case, how to win a social security disability case. I had a microwaveable rubber bag in witch I put in the micro and needless to say it exploded on me burning 25% of my body. In the United States, distance is typically measured in miles or feet. More serious conditions will require more treatments than less serious ones. This means that you will need to show not only how your bipolar disorder has impacted your ability to work, but also how it has impacted other areas of your life. In addition, do not tell the interviewer that you are living with your spouse if it does not affect your ability to perform your duties. 3. Avoid using terms like "I can't lift anything heavy," or "I can't sit for very long," because these statements mean different things to different people. After your acupuncture appointment, its important to rest and drink plenty of fluids. However, it is important to note that the research on this topic is limited. I make adjustments to my schedule throughout the day depending on the intensity of the symptoms which I experience daily on varying levels. Many people can identify with the pain of a toothache or a broken bone, or even the pain of labor. Lower back pain has different causes than buttocks and leg pain. The most important way to answer an ALJ's questions is with honesty. Making money while disabled may require some extra effort and creativity, but it is possible. Some people may need to come for weekly treatments for several months, while others may only need a few sessions over the course of a year. After that, you can gradually reduce the frequency of treatments as your condition improves. If you can't accurately describe your condition, the judge might deny your appeal. Home | About Us | Contact | Privacy. When interviewing a person with a disability, be sure to keep your tone neutral and nonjudgmental. I will also tell you that some lawyers will not accept cases where there has been a previous lawyer because filing a fee petition is time consuming and it delays payment of the fees. First, try to identify the source of your pain. You should include the frequency and duration of the pain and also explain when the pain starts and when it gets worse. They would also remember when MTV first started playing music videos and would have watched Madonnas Like a Virgin video when it first came out. But talking about it openly and honestly can help us to better understand and cope with our pain. Once they are out the door, I go back to bed until about 1:00pm.". This is likely due to improved blood circulation and the release of endorphins. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is the standard reference book for mental health disorders. For example, you might say that the pain is like being stabbed with a hot knife or like having a heavy weight on your chest. There are different types of pain medications. Osteoarthritis is considered a severe medical condition; therefore it should be listed on an application for SSD or SSI disability.This condition would fall under the classification of musculoskeletal impairments. fatigue or depression. Taking too much medication can be dangerous. Third, you should describe how the pain affects your life. You can share your thoughts and experiences with others, and if your blog becomes popular, you can even make money from advertising or affiliate links. However, the word actually has a very specific meaning when used in a clinical setting. This can be in the form of a letter from your therapist or psychiatrist, or even records from your hospitalizations. For example, in the United States, federal law uses the term mental retardation when referring to people with intellectual disabilities. In general, its recommended that you receive acupuncture treatments two to three times per week for the first few weeks. Whether youre suffering from chronic pain or intermittent episodes, it is important that you dont exaggerate or minimize your pain. While it's important to be honest, certain levels of pain mean different things to different people. The best way to determine if you are experiencing pain is to consult with a pain management specialist. Thus, a judge assigned to your case may not fully understand the extent your pain if you merely state you have pain. When you are in pain, it can feel like all you can think about is the pain itself. Acupuncture is a popular form of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that has been used for centuries to treat a variety of health conditions. A level of ten means excruciating pain. This could help him or her determine which questions to ask you during the hearing. Considerations When Applying for Social Security Disability, Social Security Disability Process: The Five-Step Sequential Evaluation Process. Disability claims examiners and administrative law judges love numbers, so (when possible) describe your mobility problems using a specific amount such as pounds, minutes, or miles. If you're working with an Augusta Social Security disability attorney, be prepared to explain the nature and extent of your physical symptoms in a hearing. So how far is 500 ft in real-world terms? Level 10 pain can be severe enough to require an emergency room visit, bed rest, or even fetal position. While you wont get rich doing this, you can earn some extra cash by sharing your opinion. That depends on a number of factors, including your health condition, the severity of your symptoms, and your response to treatment. A Sympathetic Judge Revealed The Secret. Further, you want to show yourself as an honest, hardworking, but unfortunate person who has turned to the disability process as a last resort. When you are waiting for your disability to be approved, you need to have a plan in place. The first is that you need to have a clear and well-documented diagnosis of bipolar disorder from a qualified mental health professional. We will offer you additional guidance on how to describe your pain and other symptoms so that the administrative law judge will understand why you cannot work. In my office, for example, I generally do not get involved in collecting medical records that is a task for my secretary. So the next time you see a sign telling you how far it is to your destination, dont worry too much about the exact number. Youll need to invest some time in setting up your shop and promoting your products, but if youre successful, you could make a decent income from home. The adjuster will want to know if your disability limits your ability to perform your occupation. Second, even if the injured worker has not been placed on temporary disability status, he or she may still be eligible to receive workers compensation benefits for the cost of physical therapy if the treating physician has determined that the physical therapy is reasonably necessary to cure or relieve the effects of the work-related injury. People with profound intellectual disability will need constant care and support. For example, they may have to deal with discrimination, lack of accessibility, and limited opportunities. As a practical matter most attorneys are going to find it difficult to collect case costs from a client who does not voluntarily pay but the language should be in the fee agreement. Does the pain burn? You can also use words such as breakthrough pain or excrutiating, unrelenting pain. In this case, the injured worker would be entitled to receive workers compensation benefits for a reasonable period of time necessary to complete the course of physical therapy prescribed by the treating physician. One of the most difficult things about having a disability is trying to live a normal life. However, there are some risks associated with the procedure, such as bleeding, bruising, and soreness at the needle site. Something like: A day in the life of X (your name). It does not have to be in some fancy, formal writing style. Be careful to avoid exaggeration when using this technique. Does the pain affect your ability to interact with your children or spouse? In some cases, pain can be treated through a combination of medications and psychologic therapies. It is also useful to point out how your pain affects your life. If so, are there side effects. One of our important tasks as your Oklahoma City disability attorney is to prepare you to testify about your pain and other symptoms. This could be anything from social media marketing advice to financial planning tips. Fellow Blogger Tomasz Stasiuk, whose Colorado Social Security Disability Blog contains a wealth of information about the disability claims process, made note of this fact in his December 2009 article on how to describe pain in a Social Security Disability case. My day depends on how intense the pain is and for how long. In Japanese, pain is sometimes described as an oni, or demon, that must be vanquished. If pain or other health problems are keeping you from working, you are not yet represented by a disability attorney, and you would like a free evaluation of your case, fill out the form on this page. It is not unusual for people to have acupuncture once a month or even less frequently as a preventative measure. Sorry..I guess I had more than one question. Acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine that has been used for centuries to treat a variety of conditions. How Do You Know If Acupuncture Is Working. In some cases, surgery may be an option. In terms of politics, someone born in 1959 would have been too young to vote in the JFK election but would have been old enough to vote in Nixons re-election. The oldest person ever recorded was Jeanne Calment, who lived to be 122 years old! First, learn as much as you can about their condition. How long can you sit, stand or walk? Pain pounds in my head. They also look at what treatment you have sought to eliminate your pain. Lowest rating: 3. There are ways that you can survive the wait . Acute pain is short-term pain that comes on suddenly and has a specific cause, usually tissue injury. SS scale score 9. We have represented claimants in Texas, Florida, California and these cities and counties in Oklahoma: Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman, Lawton, Broken Arrow, Edmond, Midwest City, Moore, Enid, Stillwater, Muskogee, Bartlesville, Shawnee, Owasso, Ardmore, McAlester, Clinton, and Poteau. Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders, affecting more than 3 million Americans of all ages. Your ability to effectively describe your pain to your doctors is also important. Paint an accurate picture and the judge is more likely to believe you. Rest of the day. Here at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center Comprehensive Spine Center, we use the numerical rating scale (NRS) to rate pain. Stating you have pain is not enough; in order to strengthen your chances of winning your disability case, you must learn how to effectively describe your physical pain so that the caseworkers, physicians, and even the ALJ (Administrative Law Judge) assigned to your case can understand what you experience each day and how your pain limits your functioning. Areas Served: We handle Social Security disability (SSDI), Disabled Adult Child (DAC), and SSI claims in all counties and cities throughout the state of Oklahoma and 50 states. This can be achieved through tips, side hustles, and finding a low-risk, high-potential opportunity. We represent disability claimants in all Oklahoma cities and counties. Moreover, it can also lead to depression, anxiety, and sleeping problems. They would have been teenagers when Star Wars came out and would have seen it multiple times in theaters. You answered my questions and I appreciate your prompt response. Seeing a therapist can be very helpful for some people. Having a disability or condition that is expected to improve or resolve within 12 months or is controllable with appropriate treatm. Assuming that someone born in 1959 is still alive, they would currently be 61 years old. I go to the bathroom and it takes at least 30 minutes to brush my teeth. You . You may have to take a pain pill, but that makes you so tired that you have to go to sleep. Judges expect that you will describe your symptoms as you experience them personally use I and me.. Alternatively, does it start bad in the morning and continue to worsen until you go to bed? Would your experience of pain interfere with your performance of one of these warm body jobs? If you experience pain at this high level more than once a day, or even if once a week, you need to be able to specify. What do disability judges look for? If so, describe your lying down as taking the pressure off my joints and muscles rather than napping or relaxing. Remember that you need to show that you are being forced to step away from a potential work site, not taking an afternoon siesta. 2. The "right" answers will lend vital credibility to your claim. A level of ten means excruciating pain. Log in. Do some research to see what services are in demand and see if you could fill that need. The severity of symptoms and the effectiveness of treatment options are important factors. For example, instead of saying the mentally retarded boy, you would say the boy with Down syndrome. Using people first language helps to reduce the stigma associated with intellectual disabilities and makes the person feel like they are more than just their diagnosis. Advocates of acupuncture believe that this stimulates the bodys natural ability to heal itself and can be used to treat a wide variety of physical and mental conditions. When pain reaches a level where it interferes with attention and concentration, that pain would impact your capacity to perform even a simple, entry-level job. If you're opting to represent yourself, it's important to be aware of some of the most common disability judge trick questions. There are many different causes of pain, but some of the most common include: -Injuries: When you injure yourself, whether its a small cut or a major surgery, your body responds by sending pain signals to your brain. Common causes of acute pain include: However, first hand witness accounts can help illustrate how your disability really does affect your life and interfere with your ability to work. There are many other ways to describe someone who is perceived as unintelligent or slow without using offensive language. Acute pain tends to start out sharp or intense before gradually improving. The wrong answers will severely damage your case. The SSA will even consider phantom pain, as in the case of an amputation. The amount of the disability check may vary depending on the individuals other sources of income and financial need. When it comes to disability, there are a lot of things that can go wrong. Is it sharp or dull? If you tell the judge that your pain is always a 9 or a 10, the judge will wonder how you managed to get to the hearing and sit through it. To make this decision, we need to know how you did your job. Or phone or email us. This may include things like difficulty maintaining personal relationships, problems with self-care, or even financial instability. Attempting to explain medical details without the assistance of a lawyer is not the best idea. One way to convince the administrative law judge that you suffer from persistent and intense pain is to describe it vividly. Does the pill or injections relieve all of the pain or just some of the pain? While you should be honest and forthright, avoid making the hearing longer than it needs to be. Just think about how long it will take you to get there at your current pace and youll have a good idea of how far away it really is. However, younger workers may qualify with fewer credits. A consistent number of years working at any single job, in other words, demonstrates your credibility. As an experienced Oklahoma disability attorney, I understand how disabling pain can be. Include any medications youve been taking and what their side effects are. Social Security Disability Attorneys. Alberto. The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides financial assistance to people with certain medical conditions that prevent them from working. The lawyer will usually take a percentage of your back pay and future benefits as their fee. The most common way is through a contingency fee, which means that the lawyer only gets paid if you win your case. Is the pain aching, shooting or throbbing? You can also describe your pain in terms of how it is aggravated or alleviated by lying in a specific position. The depth of insertion depends on the individuals body size, the condition being treated, and the location of the points being stimulated. Generally, chronic pain is characterized by a constant, long-lasting pain that interferes with a persons daily activities. Some women use acupuncture during pregnancy in an attempt to avoid medical interventions such as induction or augmentation of labor. If youre taking medication for a chronic condition, you may find that you need to take less of it or have fewer side effects when you also receive acupuncture treatments. Is your pain worse in the morning when you first get out of bed or later in the day? You may also find it easier to sleep better and feel more rested. With a little bit of research and perseverance, you can find ways to make money that work for you. Thank you for any help you can provide. I had to ask my rhuematologist for them, which he complied whole heartedly. Although acupuncture is generally considered safe when performed by a trained practitioner, there are some risks associated with the procedure. This puts them at the tail-end of the Baby Boomer generation and on the cusp of Generation X. Ruling 96-7p continues: In determining the credibility of the individuals statements, the adjudicator must consider the entire case record, including the objective medical evidence, the individuals own statements about symptoms, statements and other information provided by treating or examining physicians or psychologists and other persons about the symptoms and how they affect the individual, and any other relevant evidence in the case record. If its severe and/or getting worse, its probably time to seek medical attention. If your statements don't match your medical records, you will lose your credibility, then the judge's trust and, consequently, you won't get the benefits you are claiming for. What pain does the medication not relieve? 5. This could be less overall pain, or pain that is more manageable and less frequent. However, if you do not have the answers, you should try to answer the questions as honestly as possible. This is particularly true for people over the age of 60. Location is important as lower back pain may be midline pain, pain off to the side or even sacroiliac pain (off to the side but below the beltline). She has even denied me antibiotics for a severe sinus infection. If you are considering acupuncture for treatment of a health condition, it is important to consult with your doctor first. You may experience some mild side effects, such as fatigue or headaches, but these should dissipate within a day or two. 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