Some medical conditions can be harder to diagnose than others. Despite all the advances in medical science, there are still some disorders that can’t be pinned down with a blood test, x-ray or CT scan.
Instead, doctors have to rely on their clinical observations, the patient’s reports and the fact that negative test results have ruled out anything else that might possibly explain the patient’s symptoms. In essence, doctors sometimes make a “diagnosis of exclusion,” and conclude that a patient has a specific condition by the process of elimination.
It might surprise you to know that common conditions like fibromyalgia, chronic daily migraines, lupus and bipolar disorder (among others) are actually diagnoses of exclusion because there’s no definitive “positive” test for any of these diseases.
How does that affect a Social Security Disability claim?
It can be a little more difficult to obtain SSD benefits for a condition that is a “diagnosis of exclusion” than something that can be proven through lab tests or other definitive methods. That’s because the Social Security Administration (SSA) and disability examiners are always on the alert for alleged “malingerers” who are simply faking their condition for some real or perceived benefit.
So, how do you counter those suspicions when you’re suffering from one of the many medical or psychiatric disorders that fall into these categories? These things can help:
- Regular visits with your primary care physician where you discuss the symptoms you are having and the problems the condition creates for you in your life
- A willingness to undergo additional testing as ordered by your physician or to see additional specialists, since that shows you are genuinely distressed by your condition
- Keeping a journal that documents the frequency of your symptoms, potential triggers, methods you attempt to get relief and so on – which you can then show your doctor at each visit so that it becomes part of your medical records
Just because your disability can’t be pinpointed through a test, that doesn’t make it any less real. If you’re disabled and are struggling to obtain SSD benefits, legal guidance can help.