If You Need Help with your Social Security Disability Claim
 Call a Disability Lawyer Now!
 1-800-641-3759
Click Here for a
Free Disability Case Evaluation

SSD/SSI Resources



Major Categories of Common Disabilities:



Social Security Disability Free Evaluation Tool


Disability Blog:






Posts Tagged ‘Spinal cord’

Neck Pain and Receiving Social Security Disability

Monday, March 8th, 2010

If you are experiencing bad neck pain, you may have more than just a pain in the neck. Bad neck pain can be a sign or symptom of disorders caused by degenerative and structural problems that affect the nerves in your neck and your spinal cord.

Your neck is made up of a series of bones that are called vertebrae. These begin in your upper torso and end at the base of your skull. Your neck has a good amount of motion and supports the weight of your head, but it is not protected as well as the rest of your spine. This makes your neck vulnerable to injuries and disorders that can hinder motion and cause pain.

As mentioned above, bad neck pain can be caused by and be a sign or symptom of several serious conditions. Some of these include:

  • A herniated disc – When the disc ruptures and compresses your nerve roots on your spinal cord this causes bad neck pain.
  • Osteoarthritis – This can cause bad neck pain.
  • Ankylosing spondylitis – This inflammatory or arthritic condition can also cause bad neck pain.
  • Osteoporosis – This is a degenerative disease that can cause bad neck pain.
  • Bone spurs – These can pinch your spinal nerves or spinal cord causing bad neck pain.
  • Chiari malformation – This is a congenital problem that can result in bad neck pain.

There are several effects that you may experience with bad neck pain. Some of these are:

  • Dizziness
  • Weakness
  • Tingling
  • Clumsiness of your hands
  • Numbness.

As the underlying condition that is causing your bad neck pain gets more severe, you may experience difficulty in controlling your bladder and your bowels. You may also have trouble with your balance when you are upright or standing.

If you are suffering from bad neck pain that is so severe that you are unable to work, you may need assistance. You may be looking for financial help.

Have you applied for that financial help from the Social Security Administration for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits because of the disability caused by an underlying condition whose main indication is bad neck pain? Were you denied?

You may plan on appealing the denial the denial by the Social Security Administration. If this is what you decide to do, here is something that you need to think about.

You are going to need the advice and counsel of a disability attorney like the one you will find at socialsecurityhome.com to help and guide you in what can be a long and trying process. The reason for this is because people who have a disability lawyer in their corner are approved more often than those people who do not have an attorney representing them.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Social Security Disability | No Comments »

Spinal Meningitis and Receiving Social Security Disability

Friday, January 8th, 2010
Diagrams of the medulla spinalis.
Image via Wikipedia

Spinal meningitis is the common laymen’s term for meningitis. It is also called meningococcal disease. Actually, all meningitis involves your spinal cord.

Spinal meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, the membranes that cover your brain and spinal cord. It is an infection of the cerebrospinal fluid around your brain and spinal cord.

There are several types of meningitis. The most common is viral meningitis. This is also known as aseptic meningitis. You get this when a virus enters your body through your mouth or nose and travels to your brain.

Bacterial meningitis is rare, but can be deadly. It has a high mortality rate if it goes untreated. There can also be ongoing, serious complications like brain damage and paralysis.

Fungal meningitis is much less common than the other two forms. A fungus called cryptococcus, found in pigeon droppings, usually causes it. Fungus-related meningitis is rare in healthy people. However, someone who has a weakened immune system like a person with AIDS is more likely to become infected with this form of meningitis.

Spinal meningitis used to occur mainly in infants. However, because a vaccine is now given to infants, this infection now happens usually to adults. Spinal meningitis can happen to anyone at any age, but it is more common in people whose bodies have trouble fighting infection.

Even though there are several types of spinal meningitis, the signs and symptoms are similar. The most common signs and symptoms in teens and young adults are:

  • Headache
  • Vomiting
  • Fever and chills
  • A painful and stiff neck, especially when you try and touch your chin to your chest
  • Seizures
  • Trouble staying awake
  • Sensitivity to light.

Babies, children, older adults and people with other medical problems may experience different symptoms like:

  • Babies may refuse to eat and be cranky. They may cry when they are held. They also may have a rash.
  • Young children may act like they have the flu. They may cough or have trouble breathing.
  • People with other medical problems and older adults may only have fever and a slight headache.

You or a loved one may have had spinal meningitis. Complications from spinal meningitis may be why you are disabled and unable to work.

You may need help. You may need financial help.

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 complications resulting from spinal meningitis? Were you denied?

You may appeal the denial by the Social Security Administration. If you do, remember this.

You will need a disability lawyer like the one at socialsecurityhome.com to represent you in this process. This is true because people who are represented by a disability attorney are approved more often than those people who are not represented by a lawyer.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Social Security Disability | No Comments »

Spina Bifida and Receiving Social Security Disability

Wednesday, September 9th, 2009
X ray image of a pelvis of a 16 year old femal...
Image via Wikipedia

Spina bifida comes from the Latin meaning “split or open spine”. Spina bifida is a developmental birth defect that involves the neural tube. Incomplete closure of the embryonic neural tube results in an incompletely formed spinal cord.

In addition to this, the vertebrae overlying the open portion of the spinal cord do not fully form and remain open and unfused. This allows the abnormal portion of the spinal cord to stick out through the opening in the bones. There may or may not be a fluid filled sac surrounding the open spinal cord.

Spina bifida is divided into three categories: spina bifida occulta, spina bifida cystica (myelomeningocele) and meningocele. The most common location of the malformations is the lumbar and sacral areas of the spinal cord.

Myelomeningocele is the most serious form of the disorder. It is the kind that leads to disability in most of the people affected with the conditions. The terms spina bifida and myelomeningocele are usually used interchangeably.

The effects of spina bifida vary depending on the type and extent of the spinal defect. Spina bifida occulta is the mildest form of the disorder. Usually, there are no symptoms with this type of spina bifida, and no treatment is needed. In fact, many people with this kind of spina bifida do not even know that they have it. However, some effects can show up later in life.

With spina bifida cystica (myelomeningocele) there is the obvious spinal deformity. The unfused portion of the spinal column allows the spinal cord to protrude through an opening in the overlying vertebrae. The meningeal membranes that cover the spinal cord may or may not form a sac enclosing the spinal elements. There is usually some degree of paralysis and loss of sensation below the level of the spinal cord defect.

There are other effects of spina bifida. These include:

  • Loss of sensation
  • Ambulatory problems
  • Loss of muscle tone
  • Deformities of the knees, feet or hips
  • Intense pain
  • Problems with bladder and bowel control
  • An abnormality of the cerebellum, that part of the brain that plays a significant role in integrating motor control and sensory perception.

Your child with disability may have spina bifida. This may be the cause of their disability.

If so, you may need assistance. You may need financial help.

Have you applied for financial assistance on behalf of your child with disability from the Social Security Administration for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits because of the disability caused by spina bifida? If your child with disability was denied and you plan to appeal the denial, remember this.

Your child with disability will need a knowledgeable disability attorney to represent them in the appeals procedure. This is because people who are represented by a good disability lawyer like the one at socialsecurityhome.com are approved more often than people without an attorney.

Do not wait. Contact the proven disability lawyer at socialsecurityhome.com, today.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Social Security Disability | Comments Off

Spinal Stenosis and Receiving Social Security Disability

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of one or more areas in your spine. This usually happens in your upper or lower back. This narrowing can put pressure on your spinal cord or on the nerves that branch out from the compressed areas.

Spinal stenosis is classified as either primary or acquired. Primary spinal stenosis is something you are born with. Acquired spinal stenosis is something that develops because of degenerative changes in your spine that take place because of aging.

Illustration of a human back from Gray's Anatomy.
Image via Wikipedia

The primary cause of the degeneration of your spine is osteoarthritis. There are also some other things that can cause spinal stenosis. Some of these are:

  • Spinal tumors
  • Herniated disc
  • Ligament changes
  • Injury
  • Achondroplasia
  • Paget’s disease of bone.

This can lead to complications or problems, depending on which nerves are affected.  Spinal stenosis can cause cramping, pain or numbness in your arms, shoulders, legs, back or neck; problems with bowel or bladder function and a loss of sensation in your extremities. These are things that can cause disability and keep you from working.

The narrowing of your spine does not always cause problems. When the spinal stenosis affects your spinal cord or spinal nerves, you will probably begin to have signs and symptoms. The effects caused by spinal stenosis usually start mildly and grow worse with time. Some of these effects include:

  • Radiating hip and back pain,
  • Pain or cramping in your legs
  • Pain in your shoulders and neck
  • Loss of bladder or bowel function
  • Loss of balance.

Spinal stenosis may have become so serious a problem for you or a loved one that the effects it is causing are making it hard for you to get and hold a job. Spinal stenosis may be the cause of you or your loved one’s disability.

If this is you or your loved one’s situation, do you need assistance? Do you need financial help?

Have you or your loved one applied for that financial assistance from the Social Security Administration by applying for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits because of the disability caused by spinal stenosis? 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 this is what you decide to do, here is something that you need to keep in mind.

You or your loved one will need an established disability lawyer like the one you will find at socialsecurityhome.com to advise and counsel you in what can be a long and trying process. The reason for this being true is because people who are represented by an experienced disability attorney are approved more often than those people who are not represented by a lawyer.

Do not put this off. Do not wait. This may affect you or your loved one for the rest of your life. Contact the good disability attorney at socialsecurityhome.com, today.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Social Security Disability | No Comments »