Back pain is one of the most common things that people experience as they grow older. This is often lower back pain, it can be incredibly serious. It can even get to the point that it limits mobility.
But if you’ve been dealing with this, you may just have assumed that it’s part of getting older and you have to accept it. You never thought of it as a disability, even though it was impacting your ability to work. Would it qualify?
Substantial gainful activity
First and foremost, yes, back pain can qualify as a disability. That doesn’t mean that everyone who has back pain is disabled, but it can qualify if it fits the definition. Just because it’s common doesn’t mean that you can’t get benefits if it is keeping you from working.
That, after all, is the first part of the definition of disability given by the Social Security Administration. It has to keep you from engaging in “any substantial gainful activity (SGA).” The issue can be physical or mental – in your case, it is clearly a physical ailment. If it means that you’re not able to make a living, then it is very serious and deserves to be addressed that way.
The second part of the definition says that the condition needs to last for a minimum of 12 months. In a lot of cases, those who have disabilities know that they will see the symptoms for the rest of their lives. But 12 months is the minimum that your issue must last. To determine this, you may need to work with a medical professional. They’ll be able to find out what’s causing the back pain, what you can do to heal it and how long they expect it to keep impacting your ability to work.
Seeking proper benefits
If you’ve gone through this information and realized that the back pain you’re suffering from really is a disability, then it may be time for you to look into your options to seek benefits. This process can take some time and it often gets very complicated, but it’s important for your financial future, so be sure you know what steps to take.
