Symptoms and Diagnosis of Short Bowel Syndrome
Table of Contents
Short bowel syndrome is a collection of diseases caused by inadequate nutrition absorption. Short bowel syndrome is most frequently found in patients who have:
- at least half of their small intestine and occasionally all or part of their large intestine removed
- considerable damage to the small intestine
- inadequate motility, or movement, within the intestines
Short bowel syndrome can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the small intestine’s ability to function normally.
Individuals with small bowel syndrome are unable to absorb adequate amounts of water, vitamins, minerals, protein, fat, and calories from food. Which nutrients the small intestine has difficulty absorbing is dependent on which part has been damaged or deleted.
Short bowel syndrome is most commonly caused by surgery to remove a piece of the small intestine. This procedure is used to correct intestinal disorders, traumas, and congenital abnormalities.
Certain children are born with an abnormally short small intestine or with a portion of their intestine missing, resulting in short bowel syndrome. Short bowel syndrome is most frequently seen in newborns following surgery to cure necrotizing enterocolitis, a disorder in which a portion of the intestinal tissue is destroyed.
Additionally, short bowel syndrome can emerge as a result of surgery to treat illnesses including :
- Chemo-induced gastrointestinal cancer and damage
- Crohn’s disease causes inflammation and discomfort in the digestive tract.
- In gastroschisis, the intestines protrude from the body via the umbilical cord.
- Internal hernia occurs when the small intestine protrudes into abdominal compartments.
- Syndrome when part of the intestines doesn’t fully grow
- Blocked blood vessel intestinal damage
- Intestinal trauma
- Intussusception occurs when one segment of the large or small intestine collapses into itself.
- Ileum obstruction occurs when a newborn’s first excrement is thicker and stickier than normal.
- Midgut volvulus occurs when the small intestine’s middle blood flow is shut off.
- Intestines, liver, or other organs protruding through the navel (omphalocele)
- Even without surgery, sickness or injury to the small intestine can create problems.
Applying for Social Security Disability Benefits While Suffering from Short Bowel Syndrome Diagnosis
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has concluded that Short Bowel Syndrome is a qualifying condition for Social Security Disability benefits. The SSA specifies in their impairment listing handbook (often referred to as the “Blue Book”) the criteria that must be met in order to qualify for benefits. These criteria include surgically removing at least half of the small intestine, which requires daily nutritional replenishment via a central venous catheter. In plain terms, your small intestine must have been reduced to the point where your body is unable to sustain appropriate nutrition through normal meals, necessitating intravenous feeding. The Blue Book does acknowledge that some patients gradually acquire absorptive capacity in the intestine and may finally be weaned off the I.V. line.
Your Disability Case for Short Bowel Syndrome
If Short Bowel Syndrome has rendered you unable to work, you may be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits. Because clear, unambiguous evidence of the nature of your sickness is required for acceptance, it is strongly recommended that you retain the services of a qualified Social Security Disability attorney.
While it may appear that filling out certain application paperwork is straightforward, the reality is that the vast majority (far over two-thirds) of disability benefit applications are denied. People who want to reapply must file an appeal. Once the appeals process begins, it may take months or even years to resolve the issue. To make matters worse, some claims are refused not because the claimant was ineligible for benefits, but because the claimant’s application material was incomplete or erroneous.
But it’s a plus having the knowledge that a seemingly tiny error could result in a lengthy and aggravating wait. Have your case evaluated by a Social Security Disability attorney to experience having the same instance.
A knowledgeable Social Security Disability attorney has been through the application and approval processes numerous times and is aware with all of the documents required to establish that you have a debilitating condition. Working closely with your doctors, your attorney can complete the application papers necessary to expedite the processing of your disability claim, ensuring that you do not have to wait for benefits while the costs continue to pile up. Having a professional handle your claim is the simplest approach to ensure that your disability case runs as smoothly as possible.