It certainly can be disabling but I think much has to do with where the arthritis is located and whether or not it interferes with daily activities on an ongoing basis. Usually the person with this type of arthritis finds it hard to move joints when they first get up from bed or when they've been in one position for too long.
When I worked I got up earlier than I needed to make allowances for my morning stiffness and I had a job where I had to get up from my desk frequently enough so that I didn't stiffen up during the day so I didn't consider my osteoarthritis to be disabling. When I was in pain I took medicine for it and I also did muscle relaxing exercises which often helped considerably.
I can see where it could easily prevent someone who does physical labor from working but usually most people can take classes and learn skills where they can do some type of desk work. Vocational Rehabilitation trains people and helps them find jobs and I'm sure anyone can find other places which do that. And of course a person can go ahead and take courses in a line of work which pays well and is needed (e.g. computer programming and anything in the medical field).
Osteoarthritis is a painful, degenerative type of arthritis. Physical activity and working can become difficult or impossible. Some people are forced to stop working because their condition becomes so severe and limiting.
If you have to stop working, qualifying for Social Security Disability benefits may be possible. If you have worked long enough and paid FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) taxes you may qualify. Understanding the evaluation process for Social Security Disability can help you start the application phase and ultimately reach a successful outcome.
The Disability Evaluation Process
Evaluation criteria which is based on symptoms is slightly different for the various types of arthritis. For example, persistent swelling is a symptom which is significant for inflammatory types of arthritis but not osteoarthritis. The sequence of five steps which determine disability is the same though.
1 - Are you still working?
Does your condition prevent you from performing basic work activity at the level which the Social Security Administration defines as substantial gainful activity?
2 - Is your condition severe?
Is your condition expected to last for 12 continuous months or more?
3 - Is your condition on the List of Impairments?
Is your condition among the more than 150 categories of medical conditions which Social Security considers to be severe enough to prevent a person from working?
4 - Can you do any work you have done in the past?
Do you have the ability to perform past work despite your current impairment?
5 - Can you do any other type of work?
Considering your medical condition, age, education, and past work experience, do you have skills that could be used to do other work?
Specific Requirements for Osteoarthritis
Generally, with regard to musculoskeletal conditions, Social Security states, "Regardless of the cause(s) of a musculoskeletal impairment, functional loss for purposes of these listings is defined as the inability to ambulate effectively on a sustained basis for any reason, including pain associated with the underlying musculoskeletal impairment, or the inability to perform fine and gross movements effectively on a sustained basis for any reason, including pain associated with the underlying musculoskeletal impairment."
People with degenerative osteoarthritis qualify if they have significant limitations while using hands or arms, or while standing or walking. People with back (spine osteoarthritis) or neck osteoarthritis must have persistent sensory, reflex, and motor loss as well.
If I hadn't been able to have both hips replaced, I'd definitely be disabled now. I have OA from my neck to my ankles and have pain, in varying degrees, every day. Thankfully , I'm still able to function at a fairly high level.
Comments
It certainly can be disabling but I think much has to do with where the arthritis is located and whether or not it interferes with daily activities on an ongoing basis. Usually the person with this type of arthritis finds it hard to move joints when they first get up from bed or when they've been in one position for too long.
When I worked I got up earlier than I needed to make allowances for my morning stiffness and I had a job where I had to get up from my desk frequently enough so that I didn't stiffen up during the day so I didn't consider my osteoarthritis to be disabling. When I was in pain I took medicine for it and I also did muscle relaxing exercises which often helped considerably.
I can see where it could easily prevent someone who does physical labor from working but usually most people can take classes and learn skills where they can do some type of desk work. Vocational Rehabilitation trains people and helps them find jobs and I'm sure anyone can find other places which do that. And of course a person can go ahead and take courses in a line of work which pays well and is needed (e.g. computer programming and anything in the medical field).
Osteoarthritis is a painful, degenerative type of arthritis. Physical activity and working can become difficult or impossible. Some people are forced to stop working because their condition becomes so severe and limiting.
If you have to stop working, qualifying for Social Security Disability benefits may be possible. If you have worked long enough and paid FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) taxes you may qualify. Understanding the evaluation process for Social Security Disability can help you start the application phase and ultimately reach a successful outcome.
The Disability Evaluation Process
Evaluation criteria which is based on symptoms is slightly different for the various types of arthritis. For example, persistent swelling is a symptom which is significant for inflammatory types of arthritis but not osteoarthritis. The sequence of five steps which determine disability is the same though.
1 - Are you still working?
Does your condition prevent you from performing basic work activity at the level which the Social Security Administration defines as substantial gainful activity?
2 - Is your condition severe?
Is your condition expected to last for 12 continuous months or more?
3 - Is your condition on the List of Impairments?
Is your condition among the more than 150 categories of medical conditions which Social Security considers to be severe enough to prevent a person from working?
4 - Can you do any work you have done in the past?
Do you have the ability to perform past work despite your current impairment?
5 - Can you do any other type of work?
Considering your medical condition, age, education, and past work experience, do you have skills that could be used to do other work?
Specific Requirements for Osteoarthritis
Generally, with regard to musculoskeletal conditions, Social Security states, "Regardless of the cause(s) of a musculoskeletal impairment, functional loss for purposes of these listings is defined as the inability to ambulate effectively on a sustained basis for any reason, including pain associated with the underlying musculoskeletal impairment, or the inability to perform fine and gross movements effectively on a sustained basis for any reason, including pain associated with the underlying musculoskeletal impairment."
People with degenerative osteoarthritis qualify if they have significant limitations while using hands or arms, or while standing or walking. People with back (spine osteoarthritis) or neck osteoarthritis must have persistent sensory, reflex, and motor loss as well.
If I hadn't been able to have both hips replaced, I'd definitely be disabled now. I have OA from my neck to my ankles and have pain, in varying degrees, every day. Thankfully , I'm still able to function at a fairly high level.
Does it disable you? If the answer is yes, then yes it's a disability.