Conditions That May Qualify for Social Security Disability

Adult Listing 12.11 evaluates neurodevelopmental disorders, including ADHD-type findings of distractibility, disorganization, and/or hyperactivity, plus marked or extreme paragraph B limits. A childhood IEP or a stimulant prescription is not an approval.

Mental Health

There is no adult listing titled Addison’s disease or Cushing’s syndrome. Listing 9.00 and SSR 14-3p evaluate adrenal disorders by their effects on bone, heart, weight, and mood—not by a cortisol value alone.

Endocrine

SSA evaluates Alzheimer-type dementia primarily as a neurocognitive disorder under Listing 12.02. Early-onset presentations may also be considered under Listing 11.17. Young-onset Alzheimer disease appears on the current CAL list; typical late-onset disease does not automatically.

Mental Health

SSA evaluates amputation under Listing 1.20. What matters is the level of the residual limb, whether a prosthesis can actually be used, and whether a documented two-handed walking or wheeled device is needed. A healed below-knee amputation with a usable prosthesis may miss the listing and still be an RFC case.

Musculoskeletal

A progressive motor neuron disease evaluated under Listing 11.10. Adult ALS is also on SSA’s Compassionate Allowances list for expedited case processing when the documented diagnosis meets applicable rules.

Neurological

Listing 4.10 covers aneurysm of the aorta or major branches with dissection not controlled by prescribed treatment. A brain aneurysm is not 4.10; SSA evaluates neurologic complications under 11.00. An imaging report is not an approval.

Cardiovascular

Anxiety disorders may be evaluated under Listing 12.06 when medical documentation and the required paragraph B or C criteria are present.

Mental Health

Asthma causes variable airway inflammation and narrowing. Current Listing 3.03 requires both qualifying pulmonary-function results and the specified hospitalization history.

Respiratory

Adult autism is evaluated under Listing 12.10, which requires paragraph A medical documentation and paragraph B functional severity. It has no paragraph C route.

Mental Health

Bipolar disorders are evaluated under Listing 12.04, but diagnosis or hospitalization alone does not establish that all listing or RFC requirements are met.

Mental Health

Adult Listing 7.00 addresses nonmalignant hematological disorders, including hemolytic anemias, disorders of thrombosis and hemostasis, bone marrow failure, hematological transplantation, and repeated complications. Malignant blood cancers are generally evaluated under Listing 13.00, with specified HIV-associated lymphomas evaluated under Listing 14.11.

Hematological

Listing 12.08 evaluates personality and impulse-control disorders, including borderline personality disorder, using paragraphs A and B only. There is no paragraph C. If the listing is not met, SSA considers supported interaction, adaptation, attendance, and other work-related mental limitations through residual functional capacity.

Mental Health

SSA evaluates breast cancer under Listing 13.10. Current Compassionate Allowances guidance includes breast cancer with distant metastases or inoperable or recurrent disease. Other breast-cancer claims are evaluated under the applicable listing criteria and, when necessary, the lasting effects of the disease and treatment.

Cancer

SSA evaluates cancer under site- and type-specific listings in Chapter 13.00, considering the primary site, extent of disease, treatment and response, recurrence or persistence when applicable, and significant residual effects. Some specifically named cancers also qualify for Compassionate Allowances fast-track processing.

Cancer

Carpal tunnel syndrome has no dedicated adult listing. SSA evaluates documented median-nerve impairment and whether hand use, pain, or treatment recovery prevent sustained work.

Musculoskeletal

Adult Listing 11.07 evaluates cerebral palsy through extreme motor limitation, a marked physical limitation together with a marked limitation in one specified area of mental functioning, or significant interference with communication due to a speech, hearing, or visual deficit. If the listing is not met, SSA considers the remaining functional limitations.

Neurological

Cervical myelopathy involves spinal cord dysfunction in the neck. SSA may evaluate qualifying spinal cord impairment under Listing 11.08 or apply Listing 1.15 when separate nerve-root criteria are met. Listing 1.16 applies specifically to lumbar spinal stenosis resulting in compromise of the cauda equina.

Musculoskeletal

A symptom, not a listing. SSA needs a medically determinable cause and documented functional limits. This page links the common spine diagnoses.

Musculoskeletal

Current Listing 6.00 includes separate pathways for ongoing dialysis, kidney transplant, impaired kidney function with complications, and repeated CKD hospitalizations.

Genitourinary

Listing 5.05 evaluates chronic liver disease by documented complications such as variceal bleeding, ascites, peritonitis, hepatorenal or hepatopulmonary syndrome, encephalopathy, or specified SSA CLD scores. A cirrhosis label is not an approval.

Digestive

COPD causes persistent airflow obstruction. Listing 3.02 uses standardized respiratory testing; claims below listing level may still turn on exertion, exposure, and exacerbations.

Respiratory

Cluster headache has no dedicated listing. Under SSR 19-4p, a medically determinable primary headache disorder may medically equal Listing 11.02 in appropriate cases; otherwise SSA considers the documented attacks, recovery time, treatment, and functional effects through residual functional capacity.

Neurological

Listing 13.18 covers cancers of the large intestine from the ileocecal valve through the anal canal. Inoperable, unresectable, recurrent, distant-metastatic, or small-cell disease may meet the listing. Localized, successfully resected cancer does not automatically.

Cancer

CRPS has no dedicated adult listing. SSR 03-2p explains how SSA determines whether CRPS is a medically determinable impairment and then considers medical equivalence or residual functional capacity based on the documented symptoms, signs, and functional limitations.

Musculoskeletal

Chronic heart failure can reduce exertional capacity and cause fluid buildup. Listing 4.02 requires the specific medical and functional findings in the current cardiovascular rules.

Cardiovascular

Narrowing or blockage of coronary arteries may cause myocardial ischemia. Listing 4.04 applies only when its prescribed-treatment and severity criteria are documented.

Cardiovascular

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease. Listing 5.06 uses documented intestinal disease plus specified obstruction, laboratory, nutritional, perianal, or repeated-complication criteria.

Digestive

Listing 3.04 evaluates documented cystic fibrosis by specified spirometry, hospitalizations, pneumothorax, respiratory failure, pulmonary hemorrhage, pulse oximetry, or combined exacerbations including CF-related diabetes. A genetic diagnosis is not an approval.

Respiratory

There is no adult listing titled deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. Chronic post-thrombotic venous disease may be evaluated under Listing 4.11, while lasting pulmonary-embolism complications may be considered under applicable respiratory or cardiovascular rules. If no listing is met, SSA considers the remaining functional limitations.

Cardiovascular

Age-related or injury-related disc wear that may cause pain, stiffness, or nerve-root symptoms. A diagnosis alone does not meet a Social Security listing.

Musculoskeletal

Diabetes has no standalone adult listing. SSA evaluates its documented effects on other body systems and the combined functional limits those complications cause.

Endocrine

Listing 10.06 applies to non-mosaic Down syndrome documented through the listing's karyotype or alternate physician-report pathways. Mosaic Down syndrome and other congenital disorders affecting multiple body systems are evaluated under the listings for the body systems affected and through the remaining disability evaluation when necessary.

Congenital and Rare Diseases

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome has no dedicated adult SSA listing. SSA evaluates documented joint instability, vascular complications, skin findings, autonomic effects, and other manifestations under the affected body systems and through residual functional capacity when no listing is met.

Congenital and Rare Diseases

Endometriosis has no dedicated adult listing. SSA requires medical evidence establishing the impairment, but surgery is not automatically required. SSA may consider applicable listings for documented complications and otherwise evaluates pain, fatigue, restroom needs, treatment effects, and other supported limitations through residual functional capacity.

Genitourinary

A neurological disorder involving recurrent seizures. Listing 11.02 focuses on seizure type and frequency despite adherence to prescribed treatment.

Neurological

A medically determinable impairment under SSR 12-2p when diagnostic criteria are documented. There is no fibromyalgia listing.

Musculoskeletal

SSA evaluates frontotemporal dementia primarily as a neurocognitive disorder under Listing 12.02. Adult FTD / Pick’s disease Type A appears on the current CAL list. A personality-change complaint without a clinical diagnosis is not an approval.

Mental Health

Gastroparesis has no dedicated adult listing. SSA may use Listing 5.08 for specified weight loss, Listing 5.07 when intestinal-failure parenteral-nutrition criteria are met, or residual functional capacity for nausea, vomiting, and attendance. A gastric-emptying study is not an approval.

Digestive

SSA evaluates hearing loss under Listing 2.10 when it is not treated with cochlear implantation and under Listing 2.11 when a cochlear implant is involved. When the listing criteria are not met, SSA considers documented communication, safety, and other work-related limitations.

Special Senses and Speech

There is no adult listing titled hepatitis. SSA evaluates chronic viral or autoimmune hepatitis under Listing 5.05 when it causes chronic liver disease, and otherwise through residual functional capacity and extrahepatic complications.

Digestive

A disc herniation may irritate or compress a nerve root. Social Security may consider Listing 1.15 when the current criteria are documented.

Musculoskeletal

Listing 1.17 addresses reconstructive surgery or surgical arthrodesis of a major weight-bearing joint when the listing’s duration and functional criteria are met, including a documented medical need for a qualifying mobility device involving both hands. A person who does not meet Listing 1.17 may still be evaluated through residual functional capacity.

Musculoskeletal

SSA evaluates HIV infection under Listing 14.11 through several pathways involving specified manifestations, laboratory findings, hospitalizations, or repeated manifestations with the required functional limitation. If the listing is not met, SSA considers the documented effects of HIV and treatment through the remaining disability evaluation.

Immune System

SSA evaluates Huntington's disease under Listing 11.17. Adult-onset and juvenile-onset Huntington disease are currently Compassionate Allowances conditions. SSA considers the documented motor, cognitive, behavioral, and other functional effects under the applicable disability criteria.

Neurological

A broad group of immune-mediated joint and spine diseases, including psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. Listing 14.09 has several disease-pattern pathways.

Immune System

Adult Listing 12.05 requires significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning, significant deficits in current adaptive functioning, and evidence that the disorder began before age 22. Paragraph A applies when the person cannot participate in standardized intelligence testing at the required level, while paragraph B uses qualifying standardized intelligence-test scores.

Mental Health

Interstitial cystitis has no dedicated SSA listing. SSR 15-1p explains how SSA establishes interstitial cystitis as a medically determinable impairment and considers medical equivalence or residual functional capacity based on the documented pain, urinary frequency or urgency, sleep disruption, treatment, and other functional effects.

Genitourinary

Long COVID has no dedicated listing. SSA may establish COVID-19, including its long-term effects, as a medically determinable impairment when supported by objective medical evidence. SSA then considers medical equivalence, any new or worsened impairments caused by COVID-19, and residual functional capacity. SSA's disability duration requirement is generally 12 months.

Immune System

SSA evaluates lung cancer under Listing 13.14. Small-cell carcinoma follows Listing 13.14B, while qualifying non-small-cell disease is evaluated under 13.14A. SSA's current Compassionate Allowances guidance contains entries for both small-cell and non-small-cell lung cancer; the medical evidence still determines whether the applicable disability criteria are satisfied.

Cancer

Systemic lupus can affect joints, skin, kidneys, lungs, blood, or the nervous system. Listing 14.02 requires defined organ involvement or repeated manifestations with serious functional limits.

Immune System

SSA evaluates lymphoma under Listing 13.05 and leukemia under Listing 13.06. SSA's current Compassionate Allowances list includes Adult Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Acute Leukemia, and other specifically named blood cancers. The applicable listing analysis depends on the exact diagnosis, treatment course, response, relapse history, and transplant status.

Cancer

Persistent depressive symptoms may be evaluated under Listing 12.04. A diagnosis does not guarantee benefits; SSA also examines severity, duration, and work-related function.

Mental Health

A primary headache disorder with no dedicated SSA listing. SSR 19-4p explains when a documented disorder may medically equal Listing 11.02 or require an RFC assessment.

Neurological

A central nervous system disease that can affect movement, vision, sensation, fatigue, and cognition. SSA evaluates multiple sclerosis under Listing 11.09 when its specific criteria are documented.

Neurological

SSA evaluates muscular dystrophy under Listing 11.13 using extreme motor limits in two extremities or marked physical plus marked mental limitation. Some named dystrophies appear on the current CAL list; not every MD diagnosis does.

Neurological

Listing 11.12 evaluates myasthenia gravis despite adherence to prescribed treatment for at least three months. A positive antibody test is not an approval.

Neurological

OCD is evaluated under Listing 12.06. SSA considers medically documented obsessions or compulsions and their effects on mental functioning and sustained work.

Mental Health

Joint cartilage wear that can limit standing, walking, or use of the hands. SSA may consider Listing 1.18 when a major joint meets current criteria.

Musculoskeletal

SSA evaluates pancreatic carcinoma under Listing 13.20. Pancreatic cancer appears on the current Compassionate Allowances list. Islet-cell carcinoma has a narrower listing pathway. A diagnosis still requires medical evidence.

Cancer

Panic disorder has no separate listing number. SSA evaluates it within Listing 12.06 for anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders.

Mental Health

A progressive movement disorder that may affect gait, hand use, speech, cognition, and stamina. SSA evaluates Parkinson's disease under Listing 11.06 for Parkinsonian syndrome.

Neurological

Damage to peripheral nerves that may cause pain, numbness, weakness, or balance problems. Listing 11.14 applies only when its specified functional criteria are met.

Neurological

PTSD is evaluated under Listing 12.15. SSA requires medical documentation plus the required paragraph B or C criteria, not trauma exposure alone.

Mental Health

POTS is an orthostatic-intolerance syndrome without a dedicated SSA listing. Evaluation centers on objective diagnosis and supported limits from tachycardia, dizziness, syncope, fatigue, and cognitive symptoms.

Neurological

Listing 3.14 evaluates respiratory failure caused by a chronic respiratory disorder other than cystic fibrosis when qualifying invasive ventilation or BiPAP is required twice in 12 months under the listing's timing rules. Cystic-fibrosis-related respiratory failure is evaluated under Listing 3.04D, and CPAP does not substitute for qualifying ventilation.

Respiratory

An inflammatory autoimmune arthritis. SSA may evaluate it under Listing 14.09 when the current immune-system criteria are met.

Immune System

Schizophrenia is evaluated under Listing 12.03. SSA considers psychotic symptoms, negative symptoms, disorganization, longitudinal support, and work function.

Mental Health

A sideways curvature of the spine. There is no scoliosis listing. Evaluation follows documented respiratory, neurologic, or musculoskeletal effects.

Musculoskeletal

SSA evaluates sickle cell disease under Listing 7.05. Specified crises, hospitalizations, hemoglobin findings, or transfusion-related criteria may satisfy the listing. If the listing is not met, SSA considers documented complications and remaining functional limitations.

Hematological

Sleep apnea has no dedicated adult listing. SSA evaluates the medically documented sleep disorder and daytime limits—and any listing-level heart, lung, or neurologic complications—rather than an AHI number alone.

Respiratory

SSA evaluates spinal cord disorders under Listing 11.08. The listing contains three-month persistence requirements, but SSA may allow some claims sooner; documented total cord transection with loss of motor and sensory function below the injury is an express example.

Neurological

Narrowing of the spinal canal or nerve openings. Lumbar stenosis with cauda equina compromise may be evaluated under Listing 1.16.

Musculoskeletal

SSA evaluates stroke as vascular insult to the brain under Listing 11.04. The listing uses three-month persistence criteria for its communication, motor, and combined physical-and-mental pathways, while SSA's neurological guidance allows an earlier decision in some cases when the available evidence is sufficient.

Neurological

There is no adult listing titled thyroid disease. Listing 9.00 evaluates thyroid disorders by their effects on other body systems—heart rhythm, weight, stroke, vision, or mood—not by a TSH value alone.

Endocrine

Brain damage caused by external trauma. SSA may evaluate persistent physical and mental effects under Listing 11.18 and cognitive findings under Listing 12.02 when appropriate.

Neurological

Ulcerative colitis is evaluated under Listing 5.06 for inflammatory bowel disease. SSA requires objective evidence of inflammatory bowel disease and then applies the applicable obstruction, laboratory or nutritional, perianal, or repeated-complication criteria. If the listing is not met, SSA considers the remaining functional effects through residual functional capacity.

Digestive

SSA evaluates visual disorders under Listings 2.02, 2.03, and 2.04. Statutory blindness has a specific legal definition and is not the same as every listing-level visual disorder.

Special Senses and Speech