Medical Conditions
People considering applying for Social Security disability benefits often wonder, “What medical conditions qualify for disability benefits?” Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to this question. The Social Security Administration’s method of determining whether you qualify for disability benefits is more complicated than just comparing your doctor’s diagnosis against a list of medical conditions that qualify for disability benefits.
Disabilities vary in severity, and one person might qualify for disability benefits because of a certain medical condition while another person does not. What really matters to SSA isn’t your disability per se, but how it affects your ability to work. SSA uses a five-step sequential evaluation process that considers not only your medical condition and the limitations it causes, but also your ability to work in spite of those limitations.
The closest SSA comes to a list of medical conditions that qualify for disability benefits is the Listing of Impairments, a set of medical criteria for disability found in the Social Security disability regulations. If your medical signs, findings, and symptoms meet one of the listings in the Listing of Impairments, you will be found disabled at step three of the sequential evaluation process (assuming you are not working and your medical condition has lasted or is expected to last for 12 months).
If your impairment is not found in the Listing of Impairments, it is still possible to win disability benefits by arguing that your impairment is medically equivalent to one of the impairments in the Listing. Or you may qualify for disability benefits by being unable to perform any past relevant work or other work that exists in significant numbers in the national economy (considering your age, education, and work experience). For more information on how SSA evaluates disability claims, read The Sequential Evaluation Process.
This site contains extensive information about 28 medical conditions that may qualify for disability benefits. Choose from the list below, or read about Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do.
Anxiety Disorders
- Can I Get Disability Benefits for Anxiety Disorders?
- About Anxiety Disorders and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Anxiety Disorders by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Anxiety Disorders
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Anxiety Disorder Data Sheet (PDF)
Arthritis & Joint Damage
- About Arthritis & Joint Damage and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Arthritis & Joint Damage by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Arthritis & Joint Damage
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Joint Dysfunction Data Sheet (PDF)
Asthma
- About Asthma and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Asthma by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Asthma
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Asthma Data Sheet
Back Pain
- About Back Pain and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Back Pain by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Back Pain
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Spinal Disorder Data Sheet (PDF)
Bipolar Disorder
- Can I Get Disability Benefits for Bipolar Disorder?
- About Bipolar Disorder and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Bipolar Disorder by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Bipolar Disorder
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Affective Disorder Data Sheet (PDF)
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- About Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Chronic Fatigue Medical Source Statement (PDF)
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
- About Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Complex Regional Pain Medical Source Statement (PDF)
Congestive Heart Failure
- About Congestive Heart Failure and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Congestive Heart Failure by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Congestive Heart Failure
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Chronic Heart Failure Data Sheet (PDF)
Crohn’s Disease
- About Crohn’s Disease and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Crohn’s Disease by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Crohn’s Disease
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Crohn’s and Colitis Data Sheet (PDF)
Cystic Fibrosis
- About Cystic Fibrosis and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Cystic Fibrosis by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Cystic Fibrosis
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Cystic Fibrosis Data Sheet (PDF)
Depression
- Can I Get Disability Benefits for Depression?
- About Depression and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Depression by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Depression
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Affective Disorder Data Sheet (PDF)
Diabetes
- About Diabetes and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Diabetes by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Diabetes
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Diabetes Mellitus Data Sheet (PDF)
Fibromyalgia
- About Fibromyalgia and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Fibromyalgia by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Fibromyalgia
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Fibromyalgia Medical Source Statement (PDF)
Hearing Impairment
- About Hearing Impairment and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Hearing Impairment by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Hearing Impairment
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Hearing Impairments Data Sheet (PDF)
Hepatitis & Liver Disease
- About Hepatitis & Liver Disease and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Hepatitis & Liver Disease by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Hepatitis & Liver Disease
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Chronic Liver Disease Data Sheet (PDF)
HIV & AIDS
- About HIV & AIDS and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for HIV & AIDS by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for HIV & AIDS
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- HIV Infection Medical Assessment (PDF)
Ischemic Heart Disease
- About Ischemic Heart Disease and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Ischemic Heart Disease by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Ischemic Heart Disease
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Ischemic Heart Disease Data Sheet (PDF)
Leukemia
- About Leukemia and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Leukemia by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Leukemia
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Leukemia Medical Assessment (PDF)
Lung Disease
- About Lung Disease and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Lung Disease by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Lung Disease
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Lung Disease Data Sheet (PDF)
Lupus
- About Lupus and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Lupus by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Lupus
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Lupus SLE Medical Source Statement (PDF)
Multiple Sclerosis
- About Multiple Sclerosis and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Multiple Sclerosis by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Can I Get Disability Benefits for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)?
- About Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Anxiety Disorder Data Sheet (PDF)
Panic Attacks
- Can I Get Disability Benefits for Panic Attacks?
- About Panic Attacks and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Panic Attacks by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Panic Attacks
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Anxiety Disorder Data Sheet (PDF)
Parkinson’s Disease
- About Parkinson’s Disease and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Parkinson’s Disease by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Parkinson’s Disease
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Parkinson’s Medical Source Statement (PDF)
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Can I Get Disability Benefits for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
- About Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Data Sheet (PDF)
Schizophrenia
- About Schizophrenia and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Schizophrenia by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Schizophrenia
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Schizophrenia Data Sheet (PDF)
Soft Tissue Injuries & Burns
- About Soft Tissue Injuries & Burns and Disability
- How to Get Disability Benefits for Burns & Soft Tissue Injuries by Meeting a Listing
- Residual Functional Capacity Assessment for Burns & Soft Tissue Injuries
- Getting Your Doctor’s Medical Opinion About What You Can Still Do
- Soft Tissue Injuries Data Sheet (PDF)
