There need to be certain signs and symptoms associated with the disease, which result in a substantial reduction of previous levels of occupational, social, educational, or personal activities. For more detail contact at 801-746-5075. Please reference the Terms of Use and the Supplemental Terms for specific information related to your state. Section IV of the ruling explains the two-step process of how SSA will evaluate a person’s statements about his or her symptoms and functional limitations. The attorney listings on this site are paid attorney advertising. In particular, Social Security has listed the following as examples of objective medical evidence that can establish that you have an MDI, particularly if they are documented over a half a year or more: CFS can be a difficult disease to document clinically, as medical tests and laboratory results do not always reflect the degree of the illness. Some people with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) are able to work and have a job that is flexible and meets their needs. 2/3 of all initial disability applications get denied! They will also consider evidence from non-medical sources with respect to a person’s day-to-day functioning. The fact sheet, “ Providing Medical Evidence for Individuals with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) pdf icon [PDF – 758KB] external icon “, explains the definition of disability and what SSA needs from doctors when evaluating disability in patients with ME/CFS. It also includes links to the Listing of Impairments that SSA uses as part of the disability determination process. Many people refer to the condition as CFS/ME. The SSA has a ME/CFS-related fact sheet for healthcare professionals. CFS/ME can be challenging to diagnose due to many other illnesses, … Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a long-term illness with a wide range of symptoms. Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a serious, long-term illness that affects many body systems. Medical Conditions - Eligibility for Disability Benefits, residual functional capacity (RFC) assessment, qualifying for disability due to reduced productivity, memory or concentration problems that cause a serious reduction in your activities, tender lymph nodes in the neck or under the arm, pain in multiple joints without redness or swelling, headaches of a different quality than before onset of chronic fatigue. This limitation would prevent you from doing jobs that required physical exertion, such as some factory work, warehouse work, and most janitorial positions. The SSA policy for evaluating patients with CFS, SSR14-1p, was updated in April 2014. In addition to the medical finding that you are unable to work, above, you must not be earning $1,260 per month (in 2020) from working, and your illness must prevent you from working for at least a year. If you are seeing a therapist or psychologist for treatment of a mental illness, you should report this to Social Security and provide them with the treatment notes from your provider. Because most employers would not accommodate this limitation, it would be difficult for you to perform most jobs. Section V of the ruling explains how SSA will determine whether or not the person is disabled based on the MDI of CFS. Social Security will use the records to prepare a mental RFC that addresses your ability to perform the mental tasks required for work.