Social Security Disability Benefits for Carpal Tunnel in Chicago, IL
If you’ve got a severe case of carpal tunnel syndrome, you know it. It’s hard to ignore the pain, stiffness, numbness and more.
If your carpal tunnel blocks you from working, you could get Social Security Disability benefits to ease your financial strain.
But it isn’t automatic. Social Security keeps a listing of impairments that it officially recognizes as qualifying for benefits. Carpal tunnel isn’t included.
You’ll need to claim disability benefits based on more than your diagnosis itself. You’ll need to show how your case of carpal tunnel syndrome is so severe that you can’t work in any job for at least a year.
Building cases like this is exactly what the Chicago Social Security Disability lawyers at Nash Disability Law do every day. We’ve worked with many people with carpal tunnel syndrome.
Let us help you get support for a more secure, dignified life.
WE’VE HELPED MORE PEOPLE IN THE CHICAGO AREA WIN BENEFITS THAN ANY OTHER LAW FIRM.
How Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Derails Your Working Life
Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by compression of your median nerve (a nerve in your forearm). You may have:
- Pain
- Weakness
- Numbness
- Paresthesia (a tingling or burning feeling, or “pins and needles) in your thumbs, index and radial fingers
- Swollen feelings in your palms and fingers
- Trouble making a fist
- Inability to grip items
- Inability to sense temperatures with your hands
Carpal tunnel may make it difficult for you to use your hands for everyday things like opening a bottle, opening a door, brushing your teeth, holding a pen, picking up things, and holding larger items like pots and pans or laundry baskets. The pain and numbness in your hands may make it very difficult for you to sleep at night.
And it can make working very difficult—especially if you have a sedentary job where you log many hours typing on a computer. You may need to stop typing after only a few minutes and take too many breaks to do your work.
Or a carpenter may find they cannot hold on to lumber or manipulate tools the way they need to. A dental hygienist might find it hard to use their hands to clean a patient’s teeth.
While many people with carpal tunnel syndrome can get treatment and return to working quickly, some cannot. Let the disability attorneys at Nash Disability look at your case to see if you might be eligible for financial help.
Your initial conversation with us is free.
How to Approach Getting Social Security Disability for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
If you’re experiencing challenges with working because of your carpal tunnel syndrome, you should seek medical attention.
When you see your doctor, they will ask about your history and ask you to explain when you have trouble using your hands.
It’s important to tell your doctor about all your symptoms. And it’s important for your doctor to document them in your file.
Social Security will review your doctor’s notes. You should report the trouble you have using your hands at every doctor visit you have.
The medical records and evidence that come out of these visits will be central to your disability claim.
Your doctor may give you a clinical diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome by performing exams in their office.
For example, they may test the pressure in your carpal canal by having you flex your wrist in a test called the Phalen exam.
Your doctor may do an exam in their office called a Tinel’s exam. Often your doctor will confirm your diagnosis by having you do an electrodiagnostic test.
There is no one test that accurately diagnoses every case of carpal tunnel syndrome. Skilled doctors will use many different types of exams to diagnose you. All your test results showing highly debilitating carpel tunnel syndrome should go into your Social Security Disability case.
It’s best to visit a doctor who specializes in treating patients with carpal tunnel syndrome to ensure you get the best treatment.
And this way you have enough proof that you have carpal tunnel syndrome for Social Security to approve your case.
It’s important that any clinical exams your doctor does in their office and the results of your electrodiagnostic testing are given to Social Security. You must prove you have carpal tunnel syndrome with test results and doctor’s exam reports.
It’s a lot of work, but our Chicago disability lawyers ease that burden for you.
If you can’t work because of carpal tunnel syndrome, talk to us for help finding your way forward.
