Fibromyalgia disability process

The Fibromyalgia disability process page house the information on the disability process for Fibromyalgia. This page is for information purposes only. It is not legal advice and it should not be relied upon in taking steps to file for disability.

United States
Please Note: The following is NOT legal advice and it should not be relied upon in taking steps for a disability case. Only Social Security and a disability lawyer can provide the most up to date and the correct legal avenue for bringing a disability case.

In the United States, Social Security Insurance and Social Security Disability (SSI) and (SSD) benefits are available for fibromyalgia. Generally for SSI/SSD, notes and tests from a Primary Provider may be allowed for submission (if a specialist has reviewed the tests) but Specialists such as a rheumatologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, etc. are required for diagnosis, ongoing treatment, and completing SSI/SSD paperwork.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) accepts a diagnosis of fibromyalgia with the 1990 or 2010 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria.


 * Applying for Disability With Fibromyalgia One patient's success of applying, denial, successful appeal, and a breakdown of what SSI/SSD requires for the medical determination of a favorable decision of disability.


 * Fibromyalgia: Policy Interpretation Ruling - Social Security


 * Social Security Disability (SSDI & SSI) for Fibromyalgia - Disability Secrets By NOLO


 * Fibromyalgia Disability Patient Support Forums

Examinations and Tests
For documentation of symptoms and co-morbidities of a FM diagnosis, you and your doctor should consider the following examinations and tests:


 * Fibromyaglia Diagnostic Examination
 * Rheumatologist examination and diagnosis of FM. (Consider having a rheumatologist order tests and coordinate referrals of other specialists for examinations and testing. Only specialists can complete Social Security paperwork. A primary doctor cannot complete disability paperwork but may be able to forward test results they have ordered if a specialist has reviewed them.)


 * Arthritis
 * Whole body bone scan (bone scintigraphy) to rule out treatable arthritis.
 * Blood Tests
 * Routine blood tests for diabetes (fasting sugar/glucose, A1C) and a full thyroid disease panel (TSH, T3, Free T3, T4 and Free T4).
 * Rule out rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, lyme disease and other diseases that can share some of the same symptoms of fibromyalgia and may be treatable.
 * Vitamin and mineral deficiencies such as B12 and vitamin D are treatable with over the counter supplements and prescription medications which can improve fatigue and pain.
 * Gastrointestinal
 * Irritable bowel syndrome diagnosis which may require blood, upper endoscopy to rule out celiac disease and fecal tests to check for bacteria (SIBO) and intestinal parasites.
 * Mental Health and Cognition
 * Psychiatric evaluation as any depression and anxiety should be treated.
 * Cognitive dysfunction tests.
 * Sleep dysfunction
 * Sleep study for restless legs syndrome, sleep disturbance or narcolepsy.
 * Orthostatic Intolerance
 * Tilt table test to diagnose orthostatic intolerance or POTS.
 * TMJ, tinnitus, vertigo, and dizziness
 * An ear, nose, and throat specialist (ENT) (otorhinolaryngology) examination and imaging may be ordered for temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ).
 * (Ear, sinus, throat / lymph infections, and tinnitus can also be documented.)
 * Videonystagmography (VNG) testing if you experience vertigo and/or dizziness.

Of course, one can have arthritis, sleep apnea, chronic lyme disease or other diseases and still have FM, but there may be a treatable condition where a patient's overall health, including their FM, improves.

There have been cases of vitamin D deficiency being misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia as a D deficiency can cause pain. Supplementation or prescribed D treatments may alleviate this pain. However, it is possible to have both a D deficiency and fibromyalgia and correcting the deficiency will only resolve the pain stemming from it.

Learn more

 * Resources for getting approved for disability include this Guide to Social Security Disability for People with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, available on the #MEAction website.


 * How Patty’s Lawyer Never Told Her What She Needed to Know


 * Sample Doctor Letters for Disability