A friend with Raynaud’s Syndrome was denied Social Security disability benefits. Is it not considered a disability?
Recent surveys indicate that as many as 10 percent of the people in the U.S. may be affected by Raynaud’s phenomenon, and women are more likely than men to have it. Smokers are also a group who are likely to have it, although the cause of Raynaud’s is unknown. Unfortunately, it is another impairment that generally needs detailed, documented medical evidence in combination with another impairment in order to be successful as a disability. Raynaud’s syndrome is characterized by episodic attacks that affect the blood vessels of the fingers, toes, ears, and nose and cause them to narrow, thus causing a reaction such as skin discoloration and other changes. As the attack diminishes, redness may occur in the fingers and toes, as well as throbbing and tingling. This attack is usually triggered by either exposure to cold or by emotional stress and may last from a few minutes to an hour. Raynaud’s syndrome can either be in a primary or secondary form, and while it is easy to diagnose, it is mor
