Migraines are far more than “just a headache.” They’re actually complex neurological events that can be completely disabling.
The World Health Organization (WHO) considers migraine to be one of the top 10 causes of disability in the world – and one out of every four households in the United States has a migraineur.
How does migraine lead to disability?
Migraines come in a variety of different forms, including migraines with and without aura, chronic daily migraines, hemiplegic migraines that cause temporary paralysis, retinal migraines with visual disturbances and vestibular migraines that cause severe vertigo and balance problems.
All forms of migraine can become disabling because they are often multi-day events that require sufferers to take to their beds, avoid bright lights and sharply limit both their physical and mental activities for the duration and throughout a recovery period. While there are medications that can be effective at controlling the symptoms of migraine, many of them come with severe side effects, including nausea, fatigue and extreme drowsiness – which also limits work activity.
For migraine sufferers, one of the hardest issues to cope with is the unpredictability of their disorder. They can be fine one minute and unable to stand up or focus the next. That makes keeping any kind of regular work schedule practically impossible.
Unfortunately, migraine disorders still aren’t recognized for the debilitating conditions they really are, despite all the medical evidence to the contrary. If you’re struggling to get your Social Security Disability (SSD) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claim approved, it may be time to seek legal guidance.