Dermatomyositis and Receiving Social Security Disability Benefits
Dermatomyositis is a type of connective tissue disease. It is related to polymyositis. Dermatomyositis is an uncommon disease characterized by muscle weakness and a distinctive skin rash.
It is a type of inflammatory muscle disease. Dermatomyositis is one of a group of conditions called inflammatory myopathies. Myopathies are abnormal conditions or diseases of your muscles.
Derma means skin. Myo means muscles in Greek. Itis means inflamed. When you put this together you see that dermatomyositis is muscle inflammation that is accompanied by skin-related problems.
Dermatomyositis can develop at any age. Usually, it affects children between 5 and 15 years of age or adults in their late 40s to early 60s. Women are more likely to have dermatomyositis than men. Dermatomyositis is a disease that usually develops over a period of weeks or months.
Dermatomyositis may affect you by causing:
Progressive muscle weakness This happens usually in your thighs, hips, upper arms, shoulders and neck. These are the muscles closest to your torso or trunk. This muscle weakness is symmetrical. It affects both the right and left sides of your body.
A dusky red or violet-colored rash This is usually on your knees, around your nails, knuckles, elbows, back, chest, face and eyelids. These areas are usually more sensitive to exposure to the sun.
There are other ways that dermatomyositis may affect you. These include:
Fever, weight loss and fatigue
Gastrointestinal infections and ulcers (more in children)
Hardened calcium deposits under your skin (also more common in children)
Dysphagia (difficulty in swallowing)
Muscle tenderness or pain
Lung problems
The muscle weakness and skin rash usually develop at the same time. Sometimes, however, the skin rash may begin a few weeks before the muscle weakness. Your skin may become hard and thick like scleroderma in some children with dermatomyositis.
The condition is called sclerodermatomyositis when this occurs. The weakness in your muscles can cause you to have problems climbing stairs, in getting out of chairs, working with your arms over your head, holding your head up or brushing your hair.
Dermatomyositis and/or complications resulting from or along with it may be the reason why you or a loved one is unable to work. It may be the cause of your disability.
You or your loved one may need assistance. You may need financial help.
Have you or your loved one applied for Social Security disability benefits or disability benefits from the Social Security Administration because of the disability caused by dermatomyositis and/or complications resulting from or along with this disease? Were you or your loved one denied?
If you or your loved one is going to appeal the denial by the Social Security Administration, remember this. People who are represented by a disability attorney like the one you will find at disabilitycasereview.com are approved more often than those people who do not have a lawyer.
