What Does a Seizure Feel Like?

Posted on November 3, 2010 by Editorial Board

A seizure occurs when there is a disruption to normal brain activity. There are numerous causes for seizures, although often a doctor will find no reason at all that a patient is suffering from seizures. Seizures affect millions of people across the world, from all walks of life.

For most sufferers of seizures, there will be no or little warning beforehand. To answer the question of what a seizure feels like is difficult. This will vary from person to person and on the type of seizure being experienced. Sometimes a person will be completely unconscious during a seizure, sometimes they are conscious but not aware of their environment, while other times they are completely alert to what is happening.

Different kinds of seizures occur in different parts of the brain. Some of the effects they can have on the body include movement such as twitching and convulsing, sweating and fever, changes in awareness and changes in general behavior. Seizures can be divided into two general categories.

A partial seizure is one that involves only one part of the brain. If you are having a partial seizure it is unlikely that you or anyone around you will notice. There are several symptoms that can indicate a partial seizure. Symptoms could simply involve a slight change in feeling and emotion or a change in your sense of awareness. Increased heart rate and feelings of nausea are common. You could feel a loss of sensation of tingling to parts of the body. Some people may experience psychic symptoms of hallucinations or deja vu.

A generalized seizure will actively involve the entire brain. These sometimes begin with the person crying out, and usually their body will stiffen and then fall to the ground. Often they will experience a range of convulsions or jerking movements of the body. The seizure will last from just seconds to several minutes.  The person who just had a generalized seizure will not have had any awareness of what has happened, but may feel confused or frightened afterwords.

For most people who suffer from seizures, only the aftermath of a seizure episode will be remembered.  Feelings of confusion, agitation and anxiety are common after a seizure. They may simply return to feeling normal straight away, not realizing anything has passed. Oftentimes a person who has had convulsions may experience muscle soreness and some bruising after the seizure.

If you think you have had a seizure it is important that you seek medical help immediately so that your situation may be assessed. If you notice someone having a seizure it is important to keep them safe from harm until the seizure is finished. Make sure there are no nearby objects they could hurt themselves on. A soon as you are able seek medical assistance.

People who have seizures should keep a diary of when each seizure occurred, and a brief description.  Any important things like things you remember before or after the seizure could be helpful to your doctor.  A seizure diary could also help prove your seizure disorder is severe enough to prevent you from working, enabling you get Social Security Disability or SSI benefits.

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Intellectual Disabilities Covered by Social Security Disability

Posted on November 2, 2010 by Editorial Board

An individual who suffers from an intellectual disability may qualify for a Social Security disability payment. The first step in the process of qualifying for a Social Security disability payment is to file a claim (which can be done online, in person, or over the phone). Once filed, this claim will help pull together the evidence needed to determine whether a person qualifies as disabled for Social Security.

The first thing that is assessed is whether or not the individual is working at an SGA (substantial gainful activity) level. If a person is working and earning over $1,000 per month they will not qualify for Social Security disability payments. However, a person can be employed at less than SGA levels and still may qualify for Social Security disability payments.

For people who are not working, their disability is assessed as to whether it is considered “severe”. The intellectual disability must prevent the individual from engaging in basic work. If it is found that the intellectual disability doesn’t prevent the individual from working in some sort of capacity, they are unable to qualify for benefits.

Social Security publishes a list of conditions which are considered to be severe enough that individuals proven to suffer from one or more of these conditions to the degree specified will qualify for social security disability payments. Most of these conditions are severe enough that they are permanent or are terminal (will ultimately result in the death of the patient).  If an individual has suffered from an intellectual disability since birth, they may qualify for Social Security Disability payments from childhood.  However, some people suffer from an acquired brain injury that results in an intellectual disability that prevents them from engaging in the sort of work they were once capable of.

The real test for people applying for social security disability payments for an intellectual disability is how severe the disability is. According to the requirements set out by Social Security, the level of intellectual disability is determined on a scale from A to D. Those who meet the criteria of standard A, for example, have intellectual disabilities so severe that they need assistance in most areas of their life, they are often so disabled that an accurate IQ score can’t be determined. People who meet this criteria should qualify for Social Security Disability payments without a problem. Those with an IQ below 59 meet criteria B, and those with an IQ between 60 and 70 with some other form of mental or physical impairment meet criteria C. However, an individual with an IQ between 60 and 70 to doesn’t possess any other mental or physical impairments, must meet other criteria before they are considered to have a severe enough intellectual disability to qualify for a social security disability payment.

Unfortunately, at least 65% of people who file a Social Security disability application are rejected. This is especially true if it is difficult to prove that their impairments are severe enough to meet the criteria. Sometimes it helps to get the assistance of a Social Security Disability attorney who can aid the individual in gathering enough information to make their claim sound. If their claim has been rejected, an attorney can assist in making appeals, or alternate arguments that can enable you to have multiple ways to win your claim.

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Is it OK to Work while Receiving Social Security Disability?

Posted on November 1, 2010 by Editorial Board

While it is best for your case that you are not working at all during the application process, this is sometimes impossible due to your financial obligations.  Working does not necessarily cause you to either lose a social security disability case or cause you to lose benefits you may already be receiving, as long as your earnings are below the amount considered to be substantial gainful activity (SGA).

In 2010, the SGA amount is $1,000 for a month.  It is important to note that if you are working, the disability examiner or administrative law judge may consider this an indicator of your potential to work full time.

Now there are some exceptions to the rules about SGA earnings, and you really should discuss these issues with a disability lawyer as each person’s facts will be different, and that could yield a different outcome.  For example, there is laws that acknowledge unsuccessful work attempts, meaning work over SGA during your application may not be considered as SGA earnings if they decide that work attempt was unsuccessful.  After you win benefits there is a trial work period that you can consider as well.  Again, both of these exceptions to the SGA limits should be evaluated by a disability attorney who can analyze your situation with the law to give you an answer on how the laws apply to you.

If you applied for or are receiving supplemental security income (SSI), any amount of work earnings you make will potentially affect (reduce) the amount of your monthly check.

Whether or not working is the best option for you is best left to your judgment after considering the costs and benefits of both the employment wages and any potential social security benefits.  Working will affect your claim, but to what extent varies on the type of work, amount of income the work produces, and the type of claim you have followed.

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Serious Strokes Could Make Someone Disabled

Posted on October 29, 2010 by Editorial Board

A stroke has been for a long time a leading cause of long-term serious disabilities and early death. Unhealthy life-style, smoking, uncontrolled high blood pressure, rise in number of people with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and alcohol over-use are all major contributing factors in such emergence of the stroke epidemic all over the world. Strokes are attributed to 5.7 million deaths world-wide and ranked second to ischemic heart diseases as a cause of serious disability and early death.

Strokes are a leading cause of death in the U.S and over 143,579 people die each year from stroke in the United States alone.  Though strokes are recognized primarily as a disease of the brain, they can affect the entire body and may result in various forms of disability.

Paresis (weakness) or paralysis (complete loss of muscle function) on one side of body is commonly seen after full-blown stroke. The paresis or paralysis may affect the face, an arm, a leg, or it may completely paralyze the entire one side of body and face. If someone had a stroke on the right side, left-sided paresis or paralysis of the body is seen. Patients with paresis or paralysis may face severe problems in even simple day-to-day activities like walking, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom. Some patients may face disability in swallowing (dysphagia) and are prone to aspiratory pneumonia due to the entrance of food particles into the lungs.

Many patients show cognitive deficits with awareness, thinking, attention at work, learning, memory, and judgment. In cases of severe cognitive problems, patients may be diagnosed with what is called apraxia or “neglect”. Apraxic patients have no knowledge of one side of their body and surroundings. Emotional problems are also very common in stroke patients and they face extreme difficulty with controlling or showing emotions appropriately in certain situations. Depression is another very significant aftermath of a stroke and is common in these patients. Post-stroke depression may be a general sadness or it might turn into a suicidal frame-of-mind.

A continuous pain is also common in post-stroke patients which relates to uncomfortable numbness, and strange sensations after a stroke. An common pain seen in post-stroke patients is called central pain syndrome or “CPS”. In CPS, the patient may experience heat or cold, burning, numbness, tingling, and severe, sharp stabbing aching pain. Patients may experience severe pain in the extremities which is made worse in cold temperature and by movement.

Severe impairments caused by strokes can leave someone unable to work.  When a severe stroke significantly limits someone’s ability to work, then they are likely able to qualify for Social Security Disability benefits.  Very mild strokes however, where the patient is left with non severe impairments, are less likely to make one eligible to receive disability benefits.

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