If you suffer from pain that may be caused by a medically provable impairment validated by medical records, the Social Security Administration will take steps to assess the scope of your pain and its impact on your ability to work. The decision made by the Social Security Administration will take into account the following factors:
- Your medical history and any associated findings;
- Statements from you, your treating physicians or other individuals about your pain’s effects on you; and
- The medical opinions of any doctors who have managed your care.
You may wish to discuss these issues with an Indiana Social Security disability lawyer for further guidance.
How Pain Is Evaluated
Social Security Administration’s evaluation of your pain will include assessment of:
- Your routine activities;
- All aspects of your pain – its location, frequency, intensity, duration as well as any known causes;
- Specific details of past or present medications used to alleviate your pain, including measures of their effectiveness and any side effects;
- Any past or present treatments, aside from medication, to address your pain;
- Additional actions you have taken to minimize your pain (e.g., extended standing breaks, lying in supine position, etc.); and
- Any other circumstances related to your functional limitations as a result of your pain.
However, these are not the only measures. The Social Security Administration recognizes that pain is subjective and is thus required to also factor any restrictions that you, the treating doctors or other parties indicate are congruous with the objective evidence, medical or otherwise.
Pain Unsubstantiated by Medical Evidence
Sometimes the medical evidence does not capture the extent of your pain. Arthritis and back pain, for example, are two ailments for which the symptoms may not correlate with the medical facts. The Social Security Administration cannot reject your statements about the magnitude of your pain because they don’t match the available medical evidence. In these instances, your entire case record is used as the basis for assessing the credibility of your statements.
Help Is Available
If you need assistance sorting the issues surrounding your chronic pain, contact an Indiana Social Security disability attorney for more information. Martin Barnes is awaiting your call: 317-804-5058.