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Archive for April, 2010

Lyme Disease and Receiving Social Security Disability

Friday, April 30th, 2010
Adult deer tick, Ixodes scapularis.
Image via Wikipedia

Lyme disease, which is sometimes referred to as Lyme infection, is a bacterial illness. It is transmitted to humans by the bite of deer ticks (Ixodes ticks) carrying a bacterium known as Borrelia burgdorferi.

Lyme disease was first described in Europe almost 100 years ago. It occurs most frequently in the northeastern part of the United States, with about half of all cases coming from New York and Connecticut. The disease has also been reported in the Mid-Atlantic, North Central and Pacific coastal regions of the United States.

Lyme disease is an infection caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. This bacterium is usually found in animals like mice and deer. It is then carried to people from these animals by Ixodes ticks (known as black-legged or deer ticks). These ticks pick up Borrelia burgdorferi when they bite these infected animals. They then infect humans by biting them and passing the bacteria into the person’s bloodstream.

The effects of Lyme disease can affect different systems in your body. These include your joints, skin, nervous system and heart. Often, these effects are described as happening in three stages, but not everyone experiences all of these stages.

Stage one usually begins with the first sign of infection being a circular rash. This rash appears within 1–2 weeks of infection, but it can develop up to 30 days after your tick bite. The rash usually has a characteristic “bull’s-eye” appearance, with a central red spot surrounded by clear skin that is ringed by an expanding red rash. This rash may also appear as an expanding ring of solid redness.

It is usually not itchy or painful and may be warm to the touch. Although this rash is considered characteristic of Lyme disease, many people never develop it.

The second stage of Lyme disease usually involves flu-like symptoms of fatigue, headaches, swollen lymph nodes and muscle aches. These signs and symptoms usually appear within several weeks after the tick bite.

The last stage of Lyme disease usually occurs if the disease was not detected early with appropriate treatment. These symptoms include arthritis and cognitive deterioration.

Lyme disease can cause disability. You may be disabled and in need of financial assistance because of this illness and/or complications that have resulted from it.

Have you applied for financial help from the Social Security Administration for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits because of the disability caused by Lyme disease and/or complications resulting from it? Were you denied?

You may plan on appealing the denial by the Social Security Administration. If you do, remember this.

You may need the counsel of a disability attorney like the one you will find at socialsecurityhome.com in what can be a difficult process. The reason for this is because people who are represented by a disability lawyer are approved more often than those people who do not have an attorney.

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Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and Receiving Social Security Disability

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010
Lymphatic system
Image via Wikipedia

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is one of a group of cancers that are called lymphomas. Cancers that begin in your lymphatic system are called lymphomas.

Your lymphatic system is made up of a network of thin lymphatic vessels that branch into called tissues throughout your body like blood vessels. Lymphatic vessels carry a watery, colorless fluid called lymph. Lymph contains infection-fighting cells called lymphocytes. Small organs lymph nodes are along this network of vessels. Clusters of these lymph nodes are found in your chest, neck, underarms, abdomen and groin. Lymphatic tissue is found in your skin, intestines and stomach. Your spleen, bone marrow, tonsils and thymus are also a part of your lymphatic system.

Your lymphatic system produces white blood cells. These white blood cells are called lymphocytes. They do an important job of protecting you from infectious invaders like viruses, fungi and bacteria.

Lymphoma occurs when these lymphocytes begin to multiply uncontrollably. They produce malignant cells. They have the abnormal ability to invade other tissues throughout your body.

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is one of the two main types of lymphoma. The other main type is Hodgkin’s disease, also known as Hodgkin’s lymphoma. These are classified according to some special characteristics of the cancer cells in each type.

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is far more common than Hodgkin’s disease. Hodgkin’s disease represents only 1% of all the cases of cancer in the United States. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, however, is the sixth most common cancer in men, and the fifth most common cancer in women.

The only effect of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in the early stages may be swollen lymph nodes in your groin, armpit or neck area. Later, the disease can cause a variety of effects depending on where the affected area is in your body. These include:

  • Unintentional weight loss
  • Severe itching
  • Fever
  • Night sweats and excessive sweating
  • Shortness of breath or coughing if the disease is affecting your lymph nodes or thymus gland in your chest
  • Seizures, headaches, personality changes or concentration problems if the area affected is cells in your brain
  • Stomach swelling or pain that can lead to constipation, vomiting, nausea and loss of appetite.

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma may be why you are disabled. This disease may be why you are in need of financial assistance.

Have you applied for financial help from the Social Security Administration for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits because of the disability caused by non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma? Were you denied?

You may plan on appealing the denial by the Social Security Administration. If you do, remember this.

You may need the counsel of a disability attorney like the one you will find at socialsecurityhome.com in what can prove to be a long and arduous procedure. The reason why this is true is because people who are represented by a disability lawyer are approved more often than those people without an attorney.

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Medullary Cystic Kidney Disease and Receiving Social Security Disability

Tuesday, April 27th, 2010

Your kidneys play an important role in the way your body functions, not only by filtering your blood and getting rid of waste products, but also by balancing levels of electrolytes in your body, stimulating the production of red blood cells and controlling blood pressure. Your kidneys are located in your abdomen toward the back. Normally, one is located on each side of your spine. Their blood supply comes through the renal arteries directly from your aorta, and they transport blood back to your heart through the renal veins to the vena cava. (The term “renal” is derived from the Latin name for kidney.)

Sensors within your kidneys decide how much water to excrete as urine, along with what concentration of electrolytes when blood flows to your kidneys. For example, if you are dehydrated from exercise or an illness, your kidneys will retain as much water as possible, and your urine will become extremely concentrated. Your urine becomes much more dilute, and your urine becomes clear when you have enough water in your body.

Medullary cystic kidney disease is an inherited disorder. This disease is characterized by cysts that develop in the center of each of your kidneys. The result is a gradual loss of your kidneys ability to function.

There are signs and symptoms that you may experience in the early stages of medullary cystic kidney disease. These include:

  • Nocturia (urinating during the night)
  • Weakness
  • Salt cravings
  • Polyuria (excessive urination)
  • Low blood pressure.

In the advanced stages of this disease, you may have signs and symptoms of kidney failure that include:

  • Malaise (general sick feeling)
  • Weakness and fatigue
  • Nausea
  • Headache
  • Seizures
  • Delirium
  • Unintended weight loss
  • Decreased alertness
  • Blood in your stool or vomiting blood
  • Coma
  • Confusion
  • Muscle cramps or twitching
  • Drowsiness
  • Extreme sleepiness
  • Bleeding or bruising easily
  • Frequent hiccups
  • Increased skin pigmentation that may appear brown or yellow
  • Reduced sensation in your feet, hands or other areas.

You or a loved one may be suffering from medullary cystic kidney disease. This disease and/or complications arising from or along with it may be why you are disabled and unable to work.

You may need help if this is your situation. You may need financial assistance.

Are you or your loved one planning on applying for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits from the Social Security Administration because of the disability caused by medullary cystic kidney disease and/or complications resulting from or along with it? Were you or your loved one denied?

If you intend to appeal the denial by the Social Security Administration, think this over very carefully. People who are represented by a disability attorney are approved more often than those people who are without a lawyer.

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Celiac Disease and Receiving Social Security Disability

Monday, April 26th, 2010

Arthritis is a medical disease or condition that literally means joint inflammation. Arthritis is inflammation of a joint that is evidenced and usually accompanied by pain, stiffness, swelling, restriction of motion and changes in structure.

Arthritis is not just one disease. Arthritis is a complex affliction that involves over 100 separate disorders and can develop at any age of life. The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Celiac disease is one of the many forms of arthritis. It is a digestive condition that is brought on by eating the protein gluten that is found in foods like rye, wheat or barley. When you eat foods with gluten, an immune reaction is triggered in your small intestine. This results in damage to the surface of your small intestine. Also, you are not able to absorb certain nutrients.

Over 2 million people have celiac disease in the United States. This means that 1 in 133 people have this disease.

Celiac disease can develop at any age from infancy to old age. Celiac disease is most common in Caucasians and people of European descent. Women are affected by this disease more than men.

Celiac disease is also known by other names. It is also called gluten-sensitivity enteropathy, celiac sprue and nontropical sprue.

As mentioned earlier, celiac disease is caused by an immune reaction to the protein gluten in your small intestine. However, no one knows why gluten causes this immune reaction in certain people. Researchers believe it may have to do with heredity or genetics.

You may not have any signs and symptoms with celiac disease. Or, you may have a wide range of symptoms. Celiac disease affects people in different ways. Some of the signs and symptoms that you may have are:

  • Unintended weight loss
  • Seizures
  • Vomiting
  • Joint or bone pain
  • Constipation
  • Osteoporosis or bone loss
  • Chronic diarrhea
  • Fatigue
  • Anxiety or depression
  • Abdominal pain and bloating
  • Canker sores inside of your mouth
  • A tingling numbness in your feet and hands.

You or a loved one may have celiac disease. This disease and/or complications resulting from or other conditions along with it may be why you are disabled and in need of help.

Are you or your loved one thinking about applying for the financial help that you need from the Social Security Administration by applying for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits because of the disability caused by celiac disease and/or complications resulting from or other conditions along with this disorder? Have you done this already and been denied?

If you or your loved one is going to appeal the denial by the Social Security Administration, consider this. People who are represented by a disability attorney like the one you will find at socialsecurityhome.com are approved more often than people who do not have a disability lawyer.

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Chronic Kidney Disease and Receiving Social Security Disability

Friday, April 23rd, 2010

Chronic kidney disease is also referred to as chronic renal disease. Chronic kidney disease is a progressive loss of renal (kidney) function over a period of months or years through five stages.

Each stage is a progression through an abnormally low and deteriorating glomerular filtration rate, which is usually determined indirectly by the creatinine level in your blood serum. These five stages are:

  • Stage 1 – This is slightly diminished kidney function with few outward signs and symptoms.
  • Stage 2 – This involves mild kidney damage with mild reduction in your glomerular filtration rate.
  • Stage 3 – This involves a moderate reduction in your glomerular filtration rate.
  • Stage 4 – This stage has a severe reduction in your glomerular filtration rate.
  • Stage 5 – This is a serious illness where there is established kidney failure. It requires kidney replacement therapy, which is either dialysis or kidney transplantation. This stage is also called end-stage renal disease.

Chronic kidney disease is a growing health problem in the United States. 16.8% of all adults in America above the age of 20 have chronic kidney disease. Around 67,000 people die each year in the United States because of kidney failure.

At the beginning, chronic kidney disease causes no specific effects. As your kidney function decreases, however, you may experience:

  • High blood pressure, chest pain
  • Easy bruising, itching and pale skin
  • Need to urinate frequently, especially at night
  • Weakness and fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Numbness in your hands and feet
  • Altered mental status
  • Restless leg syndrome
  • Loss of appetite, vomiting and nausea
  • Shortness of breath from fluid in your lungs
  • Bone fractures and pain
  • Decreased sexual interest and erectile dysfunction
  • Bleeding (poor blood clotting)
  • Swelling of your legs and puffiness around your eyes from fluid retention.

You or a loved one may have chronic kidney disease. It may be affecting you or your loved one to the point that you are unable to work. Chronic kidney disease and/or the complications resulting from or related to it may be the cause of your disability.

Have you or your loved one applied for Social Security disability benefits from the Social Security Administration because of the disability caused by chronic kidney disease? Were you or your loved one denied?

You or your loved one may be thinking about appealing the denial by the Social Security Administration. If you do, consider this.

You or your loved one may need a disability lawyer like you will find here to guide you in what can be a long and trying process. The reason for this is because people who are helped and represented by a disability attorney are approved more often than those people who do not have a lawyer.

This is something that could affect you or your loved one for the rest of your life. Do not delay. Find a disability attorney here.

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Hairy Cell Leukemia and Receiving Social Security Disability

Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

The word “leukemia” comes from two Greek words meaning “white” and “blood”. Leukemia is a cancer of your blood or bone marrow. It is marked by an abnormal abundance of blood cells. These are usually white blood cells (lymphocytes).

Leukemia is a broad term that covers a spectrum of diseases. In turn, it is part of an even broader group of diseases called hematological neoplasms. These are types of cancer that affect your blood, bone marrow and lymph nodes. These types of cancer are closely connected through your immune system. A disease that affects one of these three will often affect the others as well.

Over 200,000 people are estimated to be living with some form of leukemia in the United States. Over 40,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.

Hairy cell leukemia is one of the forms of leukemia. It affects B cells, which are a kind of white blood cells. Your bone marrow makes too many of these B cells. These excess B cells are not normal and appear to be hairy under a microscope. Less and less healthy platelets, red blood cells and white blood cells are made as the amount of hairy cell leukemia cells increase.

Fortunately, hairy cell leukemia is a rare form of leukemia. Only about 2% of all leukemias are hairy cell leukemia.

The average age at onset for hairy cell leukemia is 55. This disease affects men more than women.

Hairy cell leukemia is caused by mutations that occur in B cells. However, no one knows what causes these changes to take place.

Hairy cell leukemia may not cause any signs or symptoms. When it does cause signs and symptoms, they are not unique to this disease but are common to several conditions and diseases. Some of these are:

  • Unintended weight loss
  • Infections that reoccur
  • Weakness
  • Bruising easily
  • Fatigue
  • Not being able to eat more than a little bit at a time due to a feeling of fullness in your abdomen
  • Sweating excessively, especially at night
  • Swollen lymph glands.

You or a loved one may have been diagnosed with hairy cell leukemia. This disease and/or complications resulting from it may be the reason for your disability. Is this why you or your loved one needs financial assistance?

You or your loved one may be considering applying for the financial help that you need from the Social Security Administration by applying for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits because of the disability caused by hairy cell leukemia and/or complications resulting from this disease. Have you done this and been denied?

If you or your loved one appeals the denial by the Social Security Administration, think about this. People who have a disability lawyer like the one you will find here are approved more often than people who are not represented by a disability attorney.

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Breast Cancer and Receiving Social Security Disability

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010
pink ribbon
Image via Wikipedia

Breast cancer starts in the cells of your breast. Although it is far more common in women, men can also have breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women in the United States. Skin cancer is the most common cancer that is diagnosed in women. One in eight women will have breast cancer. This represents about 13% of the women in the United States.

There are two primary kinds of breast cancer. Lobular carcinoma begins in the areas of your breasts that are called lobules. These are what produce milk. Ductal carcinoma begins in the ducts (tubes) that transport milk from your breast to your nipple. This is the most common kind of breast cancer.

No one knows what causes breast cancer. It begins to develop when cells in your breast start to grow in an abnormal way.

Breast cancer in its early stages usually does not have any signs or symptoms. As it develops, you may experience some of these signs and symptoms:

  • Fluid coming from your nipple that may be clear-to-yellow or green and look like pus or be bloody
  • A lump in your breast or armpit that has uneven edges, is hard and does not hurt
  • A change in the shape, feel or size of your breast or nipple
  • A change in the skin over your breast, such as dimpling
  • Peeling or flaking of the skin of your nipple
  • Pitting or redness of the skin over your breast that is like the skin of an orange.

Signs and symptoms of advanced breast cancer include:

  • Unintended weight loss
  • Skin ulcers
  • Bone pain
  • Swelling of your arm that is next to the breast that has cancer
  • Discomfort of pain in your breast.

Men who get breast cancer usually have a breast lump and tenderness and pain in their breast.

You or a loved one may have been diagnosed with breast cancer. This disease may be the cause of you or your loved one’s disability. Breast cancer may be the reason why you or your loved one is not able to work.

If this is your situation, you may need assistance. You may need financial help.

Where will that help come from? Who will you be able to call on?

Have you or your loved one applied for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits from the Social Security Administration because of the disability caused by breast cancer? Were you or your loved one denied?

If you decide to appeal the denial by the Social Security Administration, remember this. People who are represented by an insightful disability lawyer like the one you will find here are approved more often than those people who do not have an attorney.

Please do not hesitate. This is something that may affect you or your loved one for the rest of your life.

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Chronic Sinusitis and Receiving Social Security Disability

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

Your sinuses are air-filled spaces in the bones of your face and head. They start forming before you are born, and some of them continue to grow until you are nearly 20 years old.

Your sinuses are found between and behind your eyes, at the back of your nasal cavity and on both sides of you nose in your cheeks. You have four pairs of sinuses, or a total of eight.

Your sinuses, like the inside of your nose, are lined with a thin, moist layer of tissue that is known as a mucous membrane. As you would guess, the mucous membrane produces mucous. This is the sticky, green stuff in your nose. Your mucous membranes also moisten air as you breathe it in.

Sinusitis, or sinus infection, is a disease where your nasal passages and sinuses become inflamed. Sinusitis can be either acute or chronic. Acute sinusitis refers to a sudden onset of the inflammation. Chronic sinusitis is when this infection is a long term, ongoing problem. This article will deal with this form of the disease.

Chronic sinusitis is a common problem in the United States. It is the fifth most common disease that is treated with antibiotics. Chronic sinusitis is a problem for about 32 million people in the United States each year. It is the reason for over 11.5 million doctor visits each year.

There are several, different signs and symptoms that you may have with chronic sinusitis. Some of these are:

  • Aching in your teeth and upper jaw
  • Halitosis (bad breath)
  • A reduced sense of taste and smell
  • Nausea
  • Drainage of a thick, greenish or yellow discharge from your nose or that goes down the back of your throat
  • Irritability or fatigue
  • A problem with breathing through your nose because of congestion or nasal obstruction
  • A cough that may be worse at night
  • Sore throat
  • Ear pain
  • Tenderness, swelling and pain around your nose, forehead, eyes or cheeks
  • A headache
  • Throbbing facial pain.

You or a loved one may have chronic sinusitis. Chronic sinusitis and/or complications resulting from or other conditions along with this disease may be why you are disabled and unable to work.

As a result, you may need help. You may need financial assistance.

You or your loved one may have applied for financial help from the Social Security Administration by applying for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits because of the disability caused by chronic sinusitis and/or complications resulting from or other conditions along with this disease. Were you or your loved one denied?

If you or your loved one appeals the denial by the Social Security Administration, always remember. People who have a disability lawyer are approved more often than people who do not have a disability attorney representing them.

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Mixed Connective Tissue Disease and Receiving Social Security Disability

Friday, April 16th, 2010

Mixed connective tissue disease is a term used by some doctors to describe a disorder that is characterized by features of three connective tissue diseases – lupus, polymyositis and scleroderma. Because of this it is sometimes referred to as an overlap disease.

Mixed connective tissue disease develops most often in women. In fact, about 80% of the people with this disease are women. It is usually diagnosed in young adults in their 20s and 30s. However, mixed connective tissue disease can occur anywhere from ages 5 to 80, as children have occasionally been diagnosed with this disease. Mixed connective tissue disease occurs all over the world and in all races.

Mixed connective tissue disease is a type of connective tissue disease. It is characterized by abnormal function or structure of your connective tissue.

A connective tissue disease is any disease that has the connective tissues of your body as a primary target of disease. Your connective tissues are the structural portions of your body. They essentially hold the cells of your body together. These connective tissues form a matrix, or framework for your body.

Mixed connective tissue disease does not have a unique set of ways in which it affects you. Instead, you will have effects like that of lupus, scleroderma and polymyositis. Some of these effects are:

  • Joint pain
  • Joint swelling
  • Muscle weakness
  • Fatigue
  • Mild fever
  • Swollen fingers
  • Raynaud’s phenomenon – This is blood vessel spasms that interrupt the flow of blood to your ears, nose, finger and toes.

The signs and symptoms of these three diseases do not usually occur at the same time. This makes diagnosis of mixed connective tissue disease a complicated procedure.

You or a loved one may have mixed connective tissue disease. This disorder may be why you or your loved one is unable to work. It may be the cause of your disability.

If this is true, you or your loved one may need help. You may need financial assistance.

Where will you get the financial help that you need? Who will you be able to turn to?

Have you or your loved one applied for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits from the Social Security Administration because of the disability caused by mixed connective tissue disease? Were you or your loved one denied?

You or your loved one may be thinking about appealing the denial by the Social Security Administration. If you decide to do this, there is something vital that you need to know.

You or your loved one will need the representation of a disability attorney like the one you will find here in what can prove to be a long and exasperating process. The reason for this is because people who are represented by a disability lawyer are approved more often than those people who do not have an attorney.

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Receiving Social Security Disability Benefits While Battling Neuroblastoma

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010
Shown is a microscopic view of a typical neuro...
Image via Wikipedia

Cancer starts in your cells. Your cells are the primary building blocks of your body. Cancer results from mutations (defects) that occur in your cells.

When mutations occur, old cells do not die like they should, and new cells are made even though you do not need them.

A mass (tumor) can begin from these excess cells. These masses are either benign or malignant. Benign tumors are not cancer. Malignant ones are.

Cancer is much wider than a single disease. It is a large grouping of diseases. Cancer is marked by cells that are invasive (they invade and destroy adjacent tissue), aggressive (they grow and divide without respect to normal limits) and sometimes metastatic (they spread to other parts of the body).

Neuroblastoma is one of the many kinds of cancer. It is a cancer that begins in your nerve cells. Neuroblastoma usually originates in your adrenal glands that are located on top of your kidneys. However, it can also start in your spinal cord, pelvis, neck or chest. These are areas of your body where groups of nerve cells are found.

Neuroblastoma can begin in anyone at any age, but it is most common in children who are 5 and under. It is the most common cancer in infancy and can even begin before birth. Around 650 new cases of neuroblastoma are diagnosed each year in the United States.

The first signs and symptoms of neuroblastoma are usually pain, fever and malaise (a general sick feeling). Other signs and symptoms that you or your child with disability may experience include:

  • Diarrhea
  • Red, flushed skin
  • Loss of appetite
  • Tachycardia (rapid pulse)
  • Unintended weight loss
  • Tenderness or bone pain if it has moved to your bones
  • Bluish color around your eyes and pale skin
  • A chronic cough or problems breathing if it has spread to your chest
  • Excessive sweating
  • An enlarged abdomen
  • Difficulty with balance
  • Inability to empty your bladder
  • Leg, feet or eye movements that are uncontrolled
  • Paralysis (loss of movement) of your lower extremities (feet, legs or hips).

You or your child with disability may have neuroblastoma. This disease and/or complications resulting from it may be why you or your child is disabled and in need of financial help.

You may be thinking about applying for financial assistance from the Social Security Administration by applying for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits for you or your child with disability because of the disability caused by neuroblastoma and/or complications resulting from this disease. You may have already done this and been denied.

If you are considering appealing the denial by the Social Security Administration, keep this in mind. People who are represented by a disability attorney like the one you will find at socialsecurityhome.com are approved more often than people who do not have a disability lawyer.

Please do not wait. Let us help you get the disability benefits you deserve from the Social Security Administration.

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