Gout can seriously impair your ability to sit, walk, and work. But can you get disability for gout? What are the rules that you need to follow and procedures that you need to complete in order to get disability? Let’s find out.
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Gout is an extreme form of arthritis that can be very painful. In the year 15-16 it affected almost 9.2 million American adults. It is usually caused by the building up of extra quantity of urea in your body. People that suffer from this condition suffer from a lot of pain. They are also not able to focus all their energy on work.
Gout acts as a huge distraction that prohibits people from giving their total commitment and dedication to their work. A common question that arises in the mind of the people that suffer from this condition is whether they can get social security disability benefits for this condition.
The answer to this question is yes, and you can be approved for social security disability benefits when your Gout meets the SSA listing for inflammatory arthritis.
What is Gout Like as an Impairment ?
Gout is like a more severe type of arthritis, and it is a condition that can affect and harm anyone. You can identify this condition from its characteristics, such as sudden and severe attacks of pain in the bones, redness, and swelling in the bones. Patients suffer from pain in their big toe in most cases.
There is no fixed timing for a gout attack. It can occur suddenly and anywhere. The joint on which you have a gout attack is very swollen and takes the form of inflammatory arthritis. These joints become so tender that, at times, even the weight of the bedsheet on their joints seems intolerable. Gout patients also wake up suddenly in the middle of the night, feeling that their big toe has been set on fire.
What Are The indicators of Gout?
The common theme for Gout symptoms is that they can come and go suddenly. As a patient, you will have to learn how to manage these symptoms and prevent the flares.
Mostly these indicators of gout will trouble you at night. These symptoms are as follows:-
- Severe joint pain:- In most cases of Gout, the big toe on the foot is the worst affected area. Although Gout can affect in any part of the body, it mainly occurs in the toe of the foot. Some other common areas like come under the effect of gout is in the ankles, knees, wrists, elbows, and fingers. the discomfort is likely to be intense during the first four to twelve hours of a Gout attack.
- Discomfort:- After the gout pain is gone or after it subsides, there are chances for some joint discomfort. This joint discomfort may last from in some time to a few weeks. As the condition worsens, the Gout attacks are likely to last longer and affect more joints.
- Inflammation and redness:- The joints affected by Gout have a very high tendency to become swollen and red. The patients have to be extra careful with these joints until they get back to normal.
- Limits movement:- As Gout is like a condition that affects the joints, people suffering from this condition cannot move properly for some time.
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Who Can Get Gout?
Gout is like a severe condition that can affect anyone regardless of age, sex, race, etc. It is a condition that starts because of the formation of excess urate crystals accumulating in the bones. The shape of these crystals causes inflammation and intense pain in the bones.
Urate crystals are formed in your body when you have more uric acid in your blood. There is the formation of uric acid in your body when it breaks down other substances, such as purines. Purines are substances that are found naturally inside our bodies. They are also present in popular food items such as red meat, organ meat, etc.
Alcohol and alcoholic beverages also promote the formation of acidic compound in the body. Uric acid easily dissolves in your blood in normal conditions and then passes through the kidneys to the urine. There are instances when the body produces too much uric acid, resulting in Gout problems.
How Can Gout Be Disabling: Is Gout a disability?
Gout can be taken as a disability if it affects your work performance. in case you suffer with chronic gout, that is, arthritis pain in the bones for a long time, it might be taken as a disability. in case your Gout condition falls under these categories, you can get social security disability benefits for inflammatory arthritis under section 14.09 of the Blue Book.
Can You Get SSD or SSI Disability for Gout?
in case you are suffering with chronic gout, then it is possible that you automatically qualify for social security disability benefits. in case your condition meets social security administration listing requirements, then you will not have to struggle a lot to get disability benefits.
In case you wish to make the list requirements, then you need to have Gout as given in the diagnosis done by your doctor. in case you have chronic inflammation and any other ongoing deformity, your case is easy for the SSA.
Suppose your deformity is of that is one strong weight lifting bones, such as the knee, hip, or ankle, and this deformity also makes you unable to walk and work. You should consider adding this to your application. Also, in case you need assistance while walking or performing daily activities, your case is more robust.
If in one major weight lifting joint in the arm like your wrist, shoulder, or hand, you can qualify for disability benefits. Suppose this deformity in the bones makes you unable to work correctly and perform daily activities. In that case, you should contact social security guard department for disability benefits.
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What are the SSA Evaluation and Medical Qualifications For Gout?
Social security administration maintains a medical guideline book, and this book is also known as the blue book. It contains all the specific requirements for an individual that should be present for someone to be eligible for social security disability benefits.
There is no special listing in the blue book gout, but there is mention of inflammatory arthritis under section 14.09. Gout is very closely related to inflammatory arthritis. The listing states the following points:-
- The person suffering from the condition should have at least two or more body systems under a significant impact of Gout.
- The individual should have at least two of these three conditions or symptoms- chronic fever, weight loss, fatigue, or malaise.
- Any of the upper joints of the body, including the shoulders, wrists, and hands, should also be in effect by this condition and should not permit the individual to perform basic and fine motor movements.
- Any of the joints that help to bear your weight, such as the ankles, hips, and knees, should also prohibit you from walking correctly under this condition.
- Your claim should be supported with medical evidence such as analysis of uric acid levels and MRI/CT/X-Ray scans of the affected joints.
Chronic Gout and Social Security Benefits
In short, in case you are suffering with chronic gout, you should be able to easily qualify for social security disability claims. There are some listings or medical evidence that you should meet to be eligible without any problem. These requirements are mentioned above.
Gout vs. Bunion
Gout is like a severe arthritis pain that can occur in the big toe in most cases. On the other hand, the bunion is a toe deformity. The treatments for handling and tackling these conditions are very different. Gout is like a more systematic condition than the bunion.
The main distinguishing feature of both these medical conditions is that Gout will produce a sudden pain that is very severe in your toe. A bunion will gradually build pain in your toe, and the pain will increase over a long period.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gout a type of arthritis?
Yes, Gout is like a form of inflammatory arthritis condition. It can be very intense and painful for a person. Gout usually has a significant effect on one major joint at a time. The most common joint affected by Gout is the toe. When the indicators of gout are active and intense, they are known as flares. When there are no symptoms, that stage is known as the remission stage.
Can you go to work with Gout?
The answer to this query is that, yes, most people are still able to continue their work and jobs after being diagnosed with Gout. It is just that they need to take some special considerations and precautions while they are at their jobs. People suffering from this condition might need to take some time off when suffering from a gout attack.
What happens in case you leave Gout untreated?
in case you leave Gout as it is without treating it, then it can grow worse. Gout can develop and cause erosion and destruction of a joint. When Gout is in its advanced stages, then deposits of urate crystals can form under the skin. The formation of urate crystals is a major contributing factor to the development of Gout as a problem.
Wrap Up
Gout is like a condition that keeps the person suffering from it in severe pain. It is grounds for a person to qualify for disability benefits as it is a condition that can severely affect a person. You can get social security disability benefits with Gout in case you qualify with the specifications mentioned above.