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Can You Receive Disability Benefits if You Have Chronic GERD?

Can You Receive Disability Benefits if I Have Chronic GERD?

Acid peptic disease, sometimes known as APD, is a series of illnesses. Acid and peptic activity in stomach secretions cause all of these illnesses. APD occurs when stomach acid irritates the inner cells (mucosal layer). In acid peptic diseases, the oesophagus, stomach, and duodenum are the most commonly afflicted organs.

What exactly causes acid peptic disease?

Acid peptic diseases are caused by an excess of acid and pepsin. The two most frequent types of acid peptic diseases are gastric and duodenal ulcers. However, they can develop at the GJ Stoma, the lower end of the esophagus, and Meckel's diverticulum. They might be acute or chronic, depending on the severity and length of the symptoms.

Acid reflux, commonly known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), is a condition in which stomach contents, particularly acid, leak back into the oesophagus (reflux). It occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), a muscle ring that acts as a valve between the oesophagus and the stomach, fails to properly shut. When stomach acid refluxes into the oesophagus, it can cause chest pain (heartburn), inflammation, and, finally, esophageal damage.

Signs and Symptoms of GERD?

The most common symptom of GERD is persistent heartburn. Other symptoms include chest discomfort, morning hoarseness, and difficulty swallowing. Dry cough, poor breath, and acid indigestion can all result from a buildup of digestive secretions in the oesophagus. One in every ten patients who have chronic GERD develop "Barrett's esophagus," a disease in which the esophageal lining gets damaged and thickened.

Factors That May Influence GERD

Although there is no single cause of gastroesophageal reflux disease, a hiatal hernia is likely to have a role. A hiatal hernia occurs when the upper region of the stomach protrudes beyond the diaphragm, the muscular wall that separates the stomach from the chest. As a result, a hiatal hernia permits stomach acid to bypass the diaphragm and more readily enter the oesophagus. A hiatal hernia can happen at any age; many otherwise healthy persons over 50 have a small hernia.

Is it possible to successfully treat GERD?

GERD is a chronic (ongoing) disease. Treatment is usually need to be continued even after symptoms have decreased. A special diet, abstinence from alcohol, long-term pharmaceutical use, and even surgery may be necessary to cure acid reflux. Patients with GERD must work with their doctor to get the best therapy possible.

If left untreated, this condition can lead to serious complications such as esophageal scarring and asthma, as well as an increased risk of esophageal cancer.

Can You Receive Disability Benefits if I Have Chronic GERD?

Although acid reflux is unpleasant, it seldom qualifies for Social Security Disability Insurance or Long Term Disability payments on its own.
To be eligible for benefits, the applicant must be unable to work.

Surgery may be required in rare, severe cases of acid reflux. Surgery is only used as a last option since heartburn is typically not serious, and surgery is exceedingly hazardous and frequently futile. Despite its funny name, fundoplication surgery may be excruciatingly painful and require weeks to recover from. The fundus (the top section of the stomach) is wrapped around the lower oesophagus to constrict it and prevent fluids from entering the oesophagus.

Because GERD can typically be controlled with diet and medicine, it seldom qualifies for disability payments. However, if GERD leads to a more serious problem such as asthma, esophageal cancer, or stomach cancer, an individual may be eligible for disability payments. 

To be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits, you must meet a few precise conditions in two categories as decided by the Social Security Administration.

The first category, Work Requirements, contains two exams.
- The Work Duration Test: Whether you have worked long enough to be eligible for SSDI benefits.
- The Current Workplace Assessment: Whether or whether you worked lately enough for the work to be considered coverage.

The Medical Eligibility Requirement is the second category

- Are you employed? Your impairment must be "totally" incapacitating.
- Is your medical condition critical? Your impairment must be "severe" enough to prevent you from doing fundamental work-related activities like walking, sitting, and remembering.
- Is your medical condition on the Impairment List? The Social Security Administration maintains a "List of Impairments" that automatically qualify as "serious" impairments. If your ailment is not mentioned, it does not imply you cannot get disability benefits; rather, you must demonstrate that you are unable to work owing to your limits.
- Can you do the previous work? SSDI guidelines consider whether your medical condition precludes you from performing the work you did before the ailment.



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Thursday, 28 March 2024