What Medical Conditions Qualify for Social Security Disability?

Key Takeaways

• Many conditions can help you qualify for Social Security disability, including some conditions that can automatically qualify you for benefits.

• The conditions the Blue Book lists can be technical and difficult to navigate, so we’ve broken down and summarized the most common ones that may qualify for disability benefits. We also explain the disability evaluation process for each condition.

• To qualify, you must meet strict medical and work-related criteria. Strong medical evidence is essential to support your claim.

• Even if your condition isn’t listed, you may still qualify based on how your symptoms limit your ability to work.

Many conditions can qualify for Social Security disability, as long as they’re severe enough to keep you from working. We’ve helped clients get disability benefits for a wide range of health issues, from diabetes to Crohn’s, from anxiety to cancer.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has a long “listing of impairments” in its Blue Book — breaking down the many conditions that may be eligible for disability and the medical evidence they’ll consider for each one. Certain serious conditions may automatically meet the medical qualifications

Everyone’s symptoms, treatment, and medical history are complex. We recommend using this guide as a starting point, but working with a lawyer once you’re ready to apply for benefits. They’ll know what medical evidence is most relevant, and help you navigate the complex application and appeal process. 

Jump to:

1. Basic criteria to qualify for disability benefits

2. What conditions automatically qualify you for disability?

3. Compassionate allowance and TERI conditions

4. The SSA Blue Book

5. What if your condition is not on the list?

6. 4 things to know before you apply for disability

7. Mental illnesses (e.g. depression, autism)

8. Musculoskeletal or orthopedic conditions (e.g. back pain, rheumatoid arthritis)

9. Sense and speech disorders (i.e. blindness, deafness)

10. Respiratory conditions (e.g. COPD, cystic fibrosis)

11. Cardiovascular system conditions (e.g. congestive heart failure, POTs)

12. Digestive system disorders (e.g. chronic liver disease, Crohn’s)

13. Genitourinary disorders (e.g. chronic kidney disease)

14. Hematological disorders (e.g. sickle cell disease, bone marrow failure)

15. Skin disorders (e.g. burns, psoriasis)

16. Endocrine disorders (e.g. diabetes)

17. Cancers (neoplasms)

18. Immune system disorders (e.g. lupus, HIV/AIDS, gout)

19. Neurological disorders (e.g. epilepsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis, ALS)

20. Injuries, infectious diseases, and other disorders

Basic criteria to qualify for disability benefits

To qualify for disability, the SSA ultimately needs to see two things:

1. You’re too sick or injured to work because of your condition.

2. You’ll be unable to work for at least one year because of your condition.

Being unable to work includes both returning to your past work and adjusting to other work. But the regulations generally make it easier to prove that you can't do other work after you turn 50, because the law assumes there are fewer jobs available to people in those age categories.

If you’re looking to apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), they also use the same medical criteria as SSDI.

There are specific medical requirements based on your condition, and we’ll cover those in this article. There are also technical requirements based on your work history or income. You’ll probably meet them if you’ve worked and paid taxes for at least five of the past ten years, but that isn’t the only way. You can learn more about the technical rules for eligibility here.

What conditions automatically qualify you for disability?

A small number of conditions such as rare disorders, certain cancers, and adult brain disorders are considered automatic qualifiers by the SSA’s Compassionate Allowance program, which can help fast-track the application process. Typically, with these conditions, a diagnosis is enough to qualify for benefits if you can no longer work and meet the financial or work history requirements. 

Compassionate allowance and TERI conditions

Two categories of conditions medically qualify you automatically for disability benefits: These are compassionate allowance cases and TERI (terminal illness) cases. (You’ll still have to meet work history or income and asset requirements — more on those here.) Qualified compassionate allowance claims can generally be approved in a few weeks, while standard disability claims may take a few months or longer for approval.

Compassionate allowance conditions are those that are deemed sufficiently disabling by diagnosis alone. There are many disorders on this list — like Coffin-Lowry syndrome, early-onset Alzheimer's, and several types of cancer.

We’ve listed all the compassionate allowance conditions here.

TERI conditions sometimes overlap with these. If you or a third party asserts (with medical evidence) that your illness is terminal, it can be flagged as a TERI case and fast-tracked.

TERI conditions and circumstances

The following list includes some, but not all, TERI conditions that can qualify for fast tracking:

• AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome)

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), known as Lou Gehrig's disease

• Receiving inpatient or at-home hospice care

• Chronic dependence on a cardiopulmonary life-sustaining device

• Chronic pulmonary or heart failure requiring continuous home oxygen

• Any cancer that is metastatic (has spread), Stage IV, persistent and recurrent following initial therapy, or inoperable

• Cancer of the esophagus, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, mesothelioma, small/oat cell lung cancer, brain cancer, acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), or acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)

• A coma lasting for 30 days or more

• Lethal genetic or congenital defects in newborns

The SSA Blue Book

Many more conditions are included in SSA’s Blue Book. The Blue Book is the official list of qualifying conditions used by Social Security to evaluate disability claims. Officially called the Listing of Impairments, the Blue Book is a web-only document that breaks down the SSA’s disability criteria for physical and mental medical conditions considered severe enough to prevent an adult from performing substantial gainful activity. The listings are divided by body systems and outline the specific medical evidence required for each condition. For Blue Book conditions, because certain indicators must be met, you generally need detailed records, often including tests, to provide evidence of the condition. A lawyer can help with making sure those get to SSA. 

If you meet or equal a Blue Book listing, the disability process ends there, without considering if you can go back to your past work or adjust to other employment. 

What if your condition is not on the list?

Even if your condition isn't listed in SSA's Blue Book or the compassionate allowance list, you may still qualify for benefits based on how your symptoms limit your ability to do your pastwork or adjust to other employment. This is actually more common than qualifying based on a listing alone. If you’re 50 or older and have physical limitations, Social Security will evaluate your claim with fewer expectations about adjusting to other employment. It can be helpful to work with a disability attorney who can help you gather the right medical evidence to prove your condition severely limits your ability to work. 

4 things to know before you apply for disability

Before you apply for disability benefits, here are some general rules to keep in mind:

1. Your eligibility is usually less about a specific diagnosis and more about your ability to work. For example, two individuals could both struggle with diabetes. But if one is repeatedly hospitalized for diabetic ketoacidosis and can no longer work, while the other is able to manage their complications with diet and medication, only the former individual would qualify for benefits.

2. How long your condition is expected to last matters. You need to prove you’ll be out of work for at least one year. The process takes a long time and benefits expected to be long-term, so long-term conditions are more likely to qualify.

3. Having multiple conditions can improve your chances. Let’s say back pain from arthritis prevents you from doing most manual labor, and severe anxiety leads you to have panic attacks in customer-facing roles. This would disqualify you from doing more jobs than if you had back pain or anxiety alone.

4. The SSA likes to see that you have a recent treatment history. You’ll have a stronger application if you can show that you’re actively getting care for your condition and you’re following your doctor’s recommendations. We cover some specific tests and treatments in each condition section below.

Mental illnesses that qualify you for disability (e.g. depression, autism)

Mental health conditions can qualify for disability benefits, and they’re among the most common conditions, with 28.4% of disability recipients having one (the SSA refers to them as mental disorders).

Some common mental health conditions that qualify for disability benefits:

• Anxiety

• Autism spectrum disorders

• Bipolar disorders

• Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

• Depression

• Developmental disorders

• Eating disorders

• Intellectual disorders

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

• Panic disorders

• Personality and impulse-control disorders

• Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders

• PTSD and other trauma-related or stress-related disorders

However, many successful applicants qualify by having a mental health condition alongside another condition (e.g. kidney disease and anxiety, depression and back pain). It can be difficult (but by no means impossible!) to get disability benefits for mental illnesses alone.

Why is it hard to qualify for a mental health condition?

There are a few key reasons it’s hard to qualify for benefits with a mental health condition:

• It’s challenging to create universal definitions of what’s sufficiently inhibiting. Mental health symptoms change from person to person, making them hard for the SSA to evaluate.

• Unlike physical symptoms, most mental health symptoms can’t be measured by tests or other standard medical methodologies that SSA doctors are trained to evaluate. Social Security often looks at the impact of your mental health symptoms, rather than the severity of the symptoms themselves. 

• Unfortunately, mental health claims can also be met with skepticism and bias from disability examiners and judges.

If you’re applying for disability with a mental health condition alone, we highly recommend getting a disability lawyer who can make a compelling case for you before a judge.

Does my mental health condition qualify for disability?

Your mental condition may help you qualify for disability if at least some of the following are true:

• You struggle to understand, remember, or apply information (issues with memory, following instructions, solving problems, etc.).

• Your condition impacts your ability to interact with others (difficulty getting along with others, anger, avoidance, etc.).

• You have issues concentrating, persisting, or maintaining pace when you try to complete tasks.

• You struggle to adapt or manage yourself (hygiene, responding to change, setting realistic goals, etc.).

• You have minimal capacity to adapt to changes in your environment or to demands that are not already part of your daily life, despite multiple years of treatment.

And if you have some of the following symptoms:

• Psychotic symptoms (hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking/speech/behavior)

• Depressive symptoms (decreased energy, lack of motivation, suicide attempts)

• Manic symptoms (racing thoughts, disorganized thoughts)

• Anxious feelings (paranoia, nervousness)

• Cognitive or intellectual deficits (brain injury, problems with concentration, memory, etc.)

• History of trauma (history of abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, etc.)

• Communication deficits (including verbal communication, nonverbal communication, and social interaction)

• Significantly restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities.

For more help, read our deep dive on navigating the disability process with a mental illness.

Musculoskeletal or orthopedic conditions that qualify for disability (e.g. back pain, rheumatoid arthritis)

If you have pain or limited mobility when performing basic physical tasks, you’re likely a good candidate for disability benefits. In fact, 34.1% of disability recipients have orthopedic or musculoskeletal disorders. Being unable to easily walk, sit, stand, or lift items for extended periods of time makes it difficult to do many jobs.

Whether your struggles with mobility are chronic (like back pain or possible severe sciatica), involve the soft tissues (like burns) or are due to another disorder (like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or another inflammatory arthritis), many of the same requirements apply.

Does my orthopedic or musculoskeletal disorder qualify for disability?

Your condition may qualify for disability if you have some of the following signs and symptoms:

• You struggle to perform basic tasks around the house (like cooking and cleaning).

• You have a hard time staying seated for long stretches of time, or standing up from periods of sitting or laying down.

• You struggle to walk on your own (you need a cane, walker, or other assistive device to get around).

• You struggle to pick up, hold, or lift items (anything over 25 pounds).

• You seek treatment from a chiropractor, neurosurgeon, orthopedic surgeon, physical therapist, or a spine or pain management specialist.

• You’ve confirmed your back pain through diagnostic testing, like X-Rays, an MRI, or a CT Scan.

Sense and speech disorders that qualify you for disability (i.e. blindness, deafness)

Blindness, deafness, and other sensory disorders can qualify for disability — 10.3% of SSDI recipients have a nervous system or sensory condition. But the rules can be very complicated and very technical. We recommend looking at the SSA guide to sensory disorders and bringing them to your doctor. Beyond that, qualifying for these conditions is similar to any other — if they prevent you from being able to work, they can qualify.

We’ll briefly cover blindness and deafness since they’re the most common, but conditions that involve your ability to speak or to balance (like vertigo) can also qualify.

How to get disability for blindness

​​The SSA has an extremely specific definition of what is considered blind for disability eligibility. If you think you might qualify, it’s worth bringing these criteria to your optometrist or ophthalmologist to confirm:

• “Central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with the use of a correcting lens. We use your best-corrected central visual acuity for distance in the better eye when we determine if this definition is met.” OR

• “An eye that has a visual field limitation such that the widest diameter of the visual field subtends an angle no greater than 20 degrees.”

Generally speaking, your blindness can’t be corrected with vision aids. If glasses or contacts would correct your vision, it’s unlikely to qualify.

How to get disability for deafness

If you’ve received cochlear implants, you meet the listing for disability benefits for one year after they were implanted. You can also receive benefits if, after that year, you have word recognition of 60% or less during a Hearing in Noise Test (HINT).

If you haven’t received cochlear implants but have serious hearing loss, the rules are technical and come down to your results on audiometric tests and otologic exams. Consult a lawyer, or bring the SSA Blue Book definition to your doctor and ask them to note your test results in your medical records.

Respiratory conditions that qualify you for disability (e.g. COPD, cystic fibrosis)

Among disability benefit recipients, 2.7% have a respiratory condition. Like other disorders, there are many respiratory conditions that can be disabling if sufficiently severe. For example, if your asthma prevents you from running long distances but is manageable with an inhaler, there are still many jobs you can do. But if you have frequent asthma attacks doing regular, day-to-day tasks, you’re likely unable to work.

Here are common respiratory illnesses that can help you qualify for disability:

• Asthma

• Chronic pulmonary hypertension

• COPD

• Cystic fibrosis

• Emphysema

• Sleep apnea

• Long COVID

Does my respiratory disorder qualify for disability?

You may qualify for disability benefits if some of the following are true for you:

• You’ve been hospitalized recently.

• You are seeing a pulmonologist.

• You require the use of oxygen.

• You have testing that shows airflow obstruction.

• You’ve had recent respiratory failure.

There are additional qualifications for conditions like sleep apnea. If it changes your cognition or behavior, or leads you to have low blood oxygen or pulmonary vasoconstriction, you may qualify.

Cardiovascular system conditions that qualify you for disability (e.g. congestive heart failure, POTs)

Any disorder that affects the proper functioning of the heart or the circulatory system can help you qualify for disability — 7.6% of people on SSDI have such conditions.

Folks with these  common cardiovascular and heart conditions often qualify for disability benefits:

• Aneurysms (especially if you experience consistent chest pain)

• Congestive heart failure (especially if you’ve had to be hospitalized due to episodes)

• Coronary artery disease

• Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS)

Does my heart condition qualify me for disability?

If some or most of the following apply to you, you may qualify for disability:

• You seek regular treatment from a cardiologist.

• You become winded or suffer from breathlessness after any activity.

• You experience leg swelling.

• You experience lightheadedness, chest pain, palpitation, or fatigue.

• You’ve undergone a stress test, ECG, or angiogram — or your doctor says your condition is too severe to undergo a stress test.

• Your condition has not improved with medication.

Digestive system disorders that qualify you for disability (e.g. chronic liver disease, Crohn’s)

Several digestive system disorders, when severe or difficult to treat, help you qualify for disability benefits — 1.6% of disability recipients have digestive disorders. Common conditions include

• Crohn’s disease

• Chronic hepatitis

• Chronic liver disease

• Gastrointestinal hemorrhaging 

• Inflammatory bowel disease

• Intestinal failure

• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in rare cases

• Transplantation of the liver, small intestine, or pancreas

• Ulcerative colitis

The SSA may also look at symptoms and surgeries as indicative of your disability. For example, if you suffer from weight loss due to a digestive disorder, if you've had a liver transplant, or if you've suffered gastrointestinal hemorrhaging that required a blood transfusion — you might qualify, regardless of what your underlying condition is.

If you have a colostomy bag, you may also be eligible for benefits.

Does my digestive system disorder qualify me for disability?

The exact criteria you must meet will depend on your condition.

For instance, if you have IBD you may meet the listing requirements  for disability if your bowels are obstructed. Alternatively, you meet the listing requirements if you're following your treatment as prescribed and two or more of the following are true:

• You have anemia with hemoglobin less than 10 g/dL.

• You have a serum albumin of 3.0 g/dL or less.

• You have a tender abdominal mass felt on physical exam with abdominal pain.

• You have perianal disease with a draining abscess or fistula.

• You experience unintentional weight loss of at least 10%.

• You need supplemental daily nutrition by a feeding tube.

You can also meet the listing if you have repeated complications of IBD that seriously limit your activities of daily living, your social life, or your ability to complete tasks in a timely manner.

For liver diseases, you’ll meet the medical requirements if you experience hemorrhaging that results in hospitalization. There are several other tests that can be taken to confirm your chronic liver disease, but they're very technical (e.g. "Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis with peritoneal fluid containing an absolute neutrophil count of at least 250 cells"). 

One side note about liver conditions specifically: Generally, the SSA isn’t supposed to consider your lifestyle when determining your disability. But if you drink alcohol — or suffer from alcoholism — and are applying for disability for your liver condition, that might hurt your case.

Even if you don’t meet these specific requirements, or don’t know if you do, if your condition is sufficiently painful, severe, or unstable enough to prevent you from continuing to work — it’s worthwhile to apply for disability.

Genitourinary disorders that qualify you for disability (e.g. chronic kidney disease)

Genitourinary disorders — chronic kidney disease being the most common — can help you qualify for disability benefits, and 2.2% of current SSDI recipients have a genitourinary condition.

If you suffer from renal failure and are receiving dialysis, you should medically qualify for disability automatically. In that case, it’d be worthwhile to reach out to your Social Security Field Office  office when you submit your application. They may be able to fast-track it for approval.

Does my genital or urinary disorder qualify for disability?

Your condition or kidney disease may help you qualify for Social Security disability benefits if some or most of the following are true for you:

• You have exams, labs, and evaluation reports from the last 90 days.

• You’ve undergone a kidney or bone biopsy.

• You’ve received hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.

• You’ve experienced fluid buildup.

• You’ve experienced excessive weight loss due to kidney disease.

• You’ve been hospitalized at least three times in the last 12 months, at least 30 days apart.

• You’ve received a kidney transplant.

Hematological disorders that qualify you for disability (e.g. sickle cell disease, bone marrow failure)

Hematological conditions are generally well documented by lab tests, and that's what the SSA will look at first. They'll want to see a lab report of a definitive test signed by a physician, or at the very least, a report from a physician that states you have the disorder you list on your application.

Overall, 0.3% of people on disability have hematological disorders, with common conditions including:

• Aplastic anemia

• Disorders of bone marrow failure

• Granulocytopenia

• Hemolytic anemias

• Myelodysplastic syndromes

• Myelofibrosis

• Sickle cell disease

• Thalassemia

You may also qualify for complications from the treatment of hematological disorders or procedures that involve bone marrow or stem cell transplantation.

Does my blood disorder qualify for disability?

Your specific blood disorder may qualify you if at least some of the following are true for you:

• You’ve been hospitalized at least three times within the last 12 months.

• You require RBC transfusions every six weeks.

• You have documented painful (vaso-occlusive) crises that require medication.

• You have had low hemoglobin, below 7.0 g/dL, three times in the last 12 months.

• You’ve had a bone marrow or stem cell transplant in the last 12 months.

• Your complications (anemia, skin ulcers, pain, fatigue, etc.) limit your ability to complete tasks, function socially, or pursue the activities of daily living.

Skin disorders that qualify you for disability (e.g. burns, psoriasis)

Skin disorders can qualify for disability, though just 0.3% of disability recipients have one.

If you have a skin condition, a major consideration is the duration of your condition or flare-ups. For example, if you’re suffering after a burn, will your recovery time be longer than a year? If you have dermatitis, have you had skin lesions or flare-ups for at least three months?

A few specific conditions that may meet Social Security’s listing for disability depending on their severity are:

• Bullous diseases (pemphigus, epidermolysis bullosa, and dermatitis herpetiformis)

• Burns (especially if treated with a skin graft)

• Chronic skin infections

• Dermatitis (psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, exfoliative dermatitis, dyshidrosis, or allergic contact dermatitis)

• Genetic photosensitivity disorders (you’d be considered disabled at birth)

• Hidradenitis suppurativa

• Ichthyosis

• Psoriasis

Does my skin disorder qualify for disability?

A few signs your specific skin disorder may render you unable to work and eligible for disability:

• You experience regular pain as the result of either your condition or your treatment.

• You have skin lesions in sensitive areas that prevent you from completing tasks (e.g. skin lesions on your hands that limit your fine motor skills, skin lesions on your feet that impact your ability to stand up or walk, burns or skin lesions that limit your use of your arms or legs).

• Your skin condition impacts your other senses (e.g. facial lesions that prevent you from comfortably talking or chewing) or your mental health.

• Your flare-ups are frequent enough to prevent you from keeping a consistent work schedule.

Endocrine disorders that qualify you for disability (e.g. diabetes)

Diabetes is the most common endocrine disorder we see in people who qualify for Social Security disability. All told, 2.2% of benefit recipients have an endocrine disorder. Other potentially qualifying conditions include

• Adrenal gland disorders

• Hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia

• Parathyroid disorders

• Pituitary gland disorders

• Thyroid disorders

Generally, for endocrine disorders, the SSA evaluates complications that affect other bodily systems. For example, if your thyroid gland disorder results in cognitive limitations, mood disorders, and anxiety, the SSA will evaluate these symptoms as if they were a mental health disorder. If your parathyroid gland disorder alters the calcium levels in your bones, they'll evaluate the parathyroid-related osteoporosis and fractures as a musculoskeletal disorder.

Does my endocrine disorder qualify for disability?

For diabetes and other endocrine disorders, you might  qualify for benefits if some of the following are true for you:

• You’re insulin-dependent.

• You experience brain fog.

• You suffer from open wounds or require amputation.

• You experience neuropathy or numbness or tingling in your feet or hands, or have lost sensation in a limb.

• You have vision problems (diabetic retinopathy).

• You have severe gastrointestinal problems, such as constipation or incontinence.

You can read our deep dive on applying for disability with diabetes for more information. For other endocrine disorders, we recommend finding the section most related to your symptoms or consulting the SSA guide for more info.

Cancers (neoplasms) that qualify you for disability

Cancer can qualify for disability, and 3.8% of disability benefit recipients have a kind of cancer. If you have stage 4 cancer, you should qualify automatically under the medical rules, and the SSA may fast-track your application.

Some types of cancer that commonly qualify you, though this isn’t an exhaustive list:

• Breast Cancer

• Leukemia

• Lymphoma

• Lung Cancer

• Prostate Cancer

• Stomach Cancer

The following cancers are among those that qualify you for accelerated medical approval:

• Acute leukemia

• Breast cancer with distant metastases, or that’s inoperable or unresectable

• Esophageal cancer

• Gallbladder cancer

• Liver cancer

• Small cell and non-small cell lung cancer

• Small cell cancer of the large intestine

• Ovarian cancer with distant metastases, or that’s inoperable or unresectable

• Pancreatic cancer

• Prostate cancer (hormone refractory disease or with visceral metastases)

• Small cell cancer of the female genital tract

Does my cancer qualify for disability?

You may qualify for benefits if some of the following are true for you:

• You’ve had a biopsy or procedure to remove cancer.

• You receive ongoing treatment and have recent scans.

• You have an oncology team (like a specialist and radiologist).

• You experience long-lasting side-effects from treatment, such as chemo symptoms that last more than 12 months).

Specific rules about cancer in remission

If you’re in partial remission but you still have symptoms or side-effects that make it hard to work a job, you should still apply for benefits. If you’ve already applied for and are receiving disability benefits, remission shouldn’t immediately impact your benefits. In most cases, your cancer is considered disabling unless you go three years from the original tumor being present, fully in remission, without any cancer recurring. At this point, the SSA may reevaluate your eligibility.

Read our deep dive on applying for disability with cancer.

Immune disorders that qualify you for disability (e.g. lupus, HIV/AIDS, gout)

Immune disorders can qualify for disability benefits, with lupus, gout, and HIV/AIDS being the most common conditions. AIDS applicants, like some cancer applicants, can often be “fast-tracked.” For more details, see our list of TERI conditions (and other conditions that automatically meet the medical eligibility rules)..

Other immune conditions that may qualify include:

• Inflammatory arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren’s syndrome, and psoriatic arthritis

• Polymyositis and dermatomyositis

• Raynaud's phenomenon

• Systemic sclerosis (scleroderma)

• Systemic vasculitis

Does my autoimmune disorder qualify for disability?

The symptoms and day-to-day impact of immune system disorders often vary, but here are some general signs you may qualify:

• You have diagnostic testing to confirm your diagnosis (bloodwork, X-Rays, MRIs, CT Scan).

• You experience fatigue, fevers, or involuntary weight loss.

• You have more than one organ affected by your condition.

• You suffer from a lack of mobility or movement in your joints.

• You seek treatment from a neurologist, rheumatologist, or infectious disease doctor.

Neurological disorders that qualify you for disability (e.g. epilepsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease)

Symptoms, treatment efficacy, and day-to-day impact of neurological disorders vary, but many conditions or circumstances (like a stroke) can qualify you for disability. Some neurological conditions, like ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), automatically qualify for disability benefits. (Learn more in our section on automatic qualifications below.)

The following are some neurological conditions that can qualify you for Social Security disability:

• Cerebral Palsy

• Epilepsy

• Migraines (in severe cases)

• Multiple Sclerosis

• Narcolepsy

• Parkinson’s disease

• Peripheral neuropathy

• Stroke

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

Does my neurological disorder help me qualify for disability?

Here are the most common neurological disorders that qualify, and some side effects that might indicate to the SSA that they’re disabling.

Cerebral Palsy:

• Limitations in the ability to speak, hear, or see

• Secondary symptoms like fatigue, weakness, arthritis, learning problems, or mental health conditions

Epilepsy:

• Regular seizures (generalized tonic-clonic seizures or dyscognitive seizures)

• Severe seizures (biting tongue, losing consciousness, muscle convulsions)

• Prescribed medication that hasn’t improved your condition

Multiple sclerosis:

• Fatigue, dizziness, tingling, imbalance, numbness, or tremors

Peripheral neuropathy, stroke, and traumatic brain injury:

• Symptoms that last for at least three consecutive months

• Disorganization of motor function that makes it hard to stand up from a seated position, balance while standing or walking, or use your arms and hands

• Cognitive difficulties (concentrating, remembering and applying information, interacting with others, etc.)

• Sensory or motor aphasia

Injuries, infectious diseases, and other disorders

There are many other circumstances, conditions, injuries, and diseases that may qualify you for disability. When in doubt: If your condition makes it very hard, or impossible, to work over an extended period of time, it’s worthwhile to apply for disability.

If your injury or illness won’t last over a year, but is preventing you from working, you may have other options:

• Your state may offer its own short-term disability program.

• Your workplace may offer short or long-term disability insurance.

• You may qualify for workers’ compensation if you got sick or injured at work.

To learn more about all the types of disability benefits available, check out this article: Which Disability Benefits Do I Qualify For?

Bottom Line

There are many conditions that can qualify you for disability, if there is strong medical evidence that the symptoms are severe enough to impact your ability to work. Some conditions, such as compassionate allowance cases, can even meet the medical eligibility rules with just a diagnosis.

Get free legal advice specific to your condition

Maybe your condition isn’t listed here. Or you have multiple conditions. Or your symptoms are inconsistent, subsiding, or likely to get worse.

Navigating the technicalities and legalities of the Social Security disability system can be difficult. A good lawyer will have studied the SSA Blue Book extensively, will know what medical evidence you need, and can help you with the application process.

For free legal information or a lawyer (if you want or need one!) get started with Atticus. Our team of caring client advocates are ready to listen and provide more personalized help. Get started with our 2-minute intake quiz.

Find disability help in your state

---

Related resources:

Qualifying for Disability: Everything You Should Know

By Jackie Jakab

Is it Hard to Get Disability for Mental Illness? (Yes, But This Can Help)

By Sydney Hershenhorn