Sleep Related Breathing Disorders – Overview
Sleep breathing disorders, the most prevalent of which is sleep apnea, are breathing abnormalities that occur while a person is asleep. Sleep apnea usually causes a person to stop breathing for as long as a minute or two hundreds of times throughout the night. This leads to disrupted sleep and all of the negative consequences that come with it. More critically, it can cause hypoxemia, or a lack of oxygen in the arterial blood, especially in the most severe cases.
Many of the body’s functions can be affected by a lack of oxygen in the blood. Although nearly all physical (and most mental) functions rely on the flow of oxygen from the bloodstream, problems like sleep-related respiratory difficulties have far-reaching repercussions.
The following are some of the most prevalent work-related symptoms and consequences of sleep-related respiratory disorders:
- Memory lapses
- Disorientation
- Personality effects that are negative
- Hypertension
- drowsiness during the day
- Fatigue causes a disruption in cognitive abilities.
A physical restriction of the airways is the most common cause of sleep problems. Other sleep problems are caused by the body’s failure to attempt to breathe, which is thought to have psychological roots. Both sorts of sleep disorders might afflict the same person in some situations.
Breathing issues caused by sleep can often be cured. The results are inconsistent, however surgery and the use of continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) masks for sleeping are the most successful treatments. The goal of surgery is to remove any blocking tissue and keep the airway clear and open. The purpose of CPAP is to maintain the airway open by blowing a continual stream of positive air pressure into it (usually through the nose).
With a diagnosis of sleep-related breathing disorders, you can apply for Social Security Disability benefits.
In Section 3.10 Sleep-related breathing disorders of the Social Security Administration’s Listing of Impairments Manual (The Blue Book), sleep-related breathing disorders are included. However, while they are given their own listing, the condition is assessed based on one or two additional related conditions, depending on the circumstances, such as:
- Chronic Cor Pulmonate is a condition that affects the lungs. The restriction of blood flow from the right side of the heart to the lungs is known as chronic cor pulmonate. It is a common, medically verifiable, and detectable consequence of sleep-related breathing difficulties, which are caused by a lack of oxygen in the blood. Section 3.09 of the Blue Book contains the criteria for evaluating Chronic Cor Pulmonate.
- Organic Mental Illnesses Sleep-related breathing disorders can be evaluated using Section 12.02 of the Blue Book when the cause of breathing cessation during sleep is thought to be souly or atleast some of it due to psychological issues, or when the psychological effects of sleep apnea are thought to the underlying cause of behavioral issues causing inability to function on the job.
It is critical that you adhere to any treatment regimens advised for you, regardless of the source of your sleep-related breathing issues. To qualify for Social Security disability payments, you’ll need detailed record of all attempts to treat your sleep-related respiratory difficulties, as well as the results.
In most circumstances, your medical records will need to prove that cor pulmonate has happened and is irreversible in order to qualify for disability benefits based on sleep-related breathing difficulties. A variety of medical imaging procedures, spyrograph tests (which assess lung capacity and breathing), or a cardiac catheterization can be used to demonstrate this. The more medical evidence you have of the impact of your disabling disease, the stronger your case for disability payments will be.
To be eligible for disability due to the mental effects (or causes) of sleep-related breathing difficulties, you must establish that you have been receiving treatment for more than a year and that your condition has not improved enough for you to return to work. It is critical that you remain under the care of your mental health expert and adhere to any treatment recommendations.
Your Disability Case for Sleep-Related Breathing Disorder
The application process for disability compensation might be lengthy. Claimants are frequently denied after months of waiting, leaving them with the decision of whether or not to continue the matter via an even longer appeals process. While some claims will need to go to appeals despite representation, many of the claims that are refused would have been allowed if they had been submitted properly.
A Social Security Disability lawyer understands how to submit your claim in such a way that the SSA has everything they need to approve you. The manner medical paperwork is phrased, rather than the content of medical studies, is often the difference between approval and denial. Your disability lawyer understands what the Social Security Administration is searching for and will do all possible to help you win your case.
You can participate in a free evaluation today to have your Social Security disability claim assessed by an experienced disability lawyer.