Jump to: Basic criteria to qualify for disability benefits 4 things to know before you apply for disability Mental illnesses that qualify for disability (e.g. depression, autism) Musculoskeletal or orthopedic conditions that qualify for disability (e.g. back pain, rheumatoid arthritis) Sense and speech disorders that qualify for disability (i.e. blindness, deafness) Respiratory conditions that qualify for disability (e.g. COPD, cystic fibrosis) Cardiovascular system conditions that qualify for disability (e.g. congestive heart failure, POTs) Digestive system disorders that qualify for disability (e.g. chronic liver disease, Crohn’s) Genitourinary disorders that qualify for disability (e.g. chronic kidney disease) Hematological disorders that qualify for disability (e.g. sickle cell disease, bone marrow failure) Skin disorders that qualify for disability (e.g. burns, psoriasis) Endocrine disorders that qualify for disability (e.g. diabetes) Cancers (neoplasms) that qualify for disability Immune disorders that qualify for disability (e.g. lupus, HIV/AIDS, gout) Neurological disorders that qualify for disability (e.g. epilepsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis, ALS) Injuries, infectious diseases, and other disorders Conditions that automatically qualify for disability Get free legal advice specific to your condition Find disability help in your state What Conditions Qualify FAQ Resources > General General What Medical Conditions Qualify for Social Security Disability? Written by Jackie Jakab Lead Attorney Published March 18, 2024 Updated February 11, 2026 12 min read Why trust us? Compass Disability offers free, high-quality disability advice for Americans who can't work. Our team of Stanford and Harvard trained lawyers has a combined 15+ years of legal experience, and have helped over 10,000 Americans apply for disability benefits.

Why trust us? Many conditions can qualify for Social Security disability, as long as they’re severe enough to keep you from working. We’ve helped clients get disability benefits for a wide range of health issues, from diabetes to Crohn’s , from anxiety to cancer .

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has a long “listing of impairments” in its Blue Book — breaking down the many conditions that may be eligible for disability and the medical evidence they’ll consider for each one. Certain serious conditions may automatically meet the medical qualifications.

Everyone’s symptoms, treatment, and medical history are complex. We recommend using this guide as a starting point, but working with a lawyer once you’re ready to apply for benefits. They’ll know what medical evidence is most relevant, and help you navigate the complex application and appeal process.

Key Takeaways

Jump to:

  1. Basic criteria to qualify for disability benefits
  2. 4 things to know before you apply for disability
  3. Mental illnesses (e.g. depression, autism)
  4. Musculoskeletal or orthopedic conditions (e.g. back pain, rheumatoid arthritis)
  5. Sense and speech disorders (i.e. blindness, deafness)
  6. Respiratory conditions (e.g. COPD, cystic fibrosis)
  7. Cardiovascular system conditions (e.g. congestive heart failure, POTs)
  8. Digestive system disorders (e.g. chronic liver disease, Crohn’s)
  9. Genitourinary disorders (e.g. chronic kidney disease)
  10. Hematological disorders (e.g. sickle cell disease, bone marrow failure)
  11. Skin disorders (e.g. burns, psoriasis)
  12. Endocrine disorders (e.g. diabetes)
  13. Cancers (neoplasms)
  14. Immune system disorders (e.g. lupus, HIV/AIDS, gout)
  15. Neurological disorders (e.g. epilepsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis, ALS)
  16. Injuries, infectious diseases, and other disorders
  17. Conditions that automatically qualify for disability

Basic criteria to qualify for disability benefits

To qualify for disability, the SSA ultimately needs to see two things:

  1. You’re too sick or injured to work because of your condition.
  2. You’ll be unable to work for at least one year because of your condition.

If you’re under age 50, you’ll have to prove that you’re unable to work in any job that exists. If you’re over 50, you have to prove you’re unable to work in fields you’ve previously worked in.

There are specific medical requirements based on your condition, and we’ll cover those in this article. There are also technical requirements based on your work history or income. You’ll probably meet them if you’ve worked for at least five of the past 10 years, but you can learn more about the technical rules for eligibility here.

4 things to know before you apply for disability

Before you apply for disability benefits, here are some general rules to keep in mind:

  1. Your eligibility is less about a specific diagnosis and more about your ability to work. For example, two individuals could both struggle with diabetes. But if one is repeatedly hospitalized for diabetic ketoacidosis, and the other is able to manage their complications with diet and medication, only the former individual would qualify for benefits.
  2. How long your condition is expected to last matters. You need to prove you’ll be out of work for at least one year. And since it takes , on average, more than 2 years to get benefits , long-term conditions are more likely to qualify.
  3. Having multiple conditions can improve your chances. Let’s say back pain prevents you from doing most manual labor, and severe anxiety leads you to have panic attacks in customer-facing roles. This would disqualify you from doing more jobs than if you had back pain or anxiety alone.
  4. The SSA likes to see that you have a recent treatment history. You’ll have a stronger application if you can show that you’re actively getting care for your condition and you’re following your doctor’s recommendations. We cover some specific tests and treatments in each condition section below.

Mental illnesses that qualify for disability (e.g. depression, autism)

Mental health conditions can qualify for disability benefits, and they’re among the most common conditions, with 34.6% of applicants having one (the SSA refers to them as mental disorders).

Some common mental health conditions that qualify for disability benefits:

However, many successful applicants qualify by having a mental health condition alongside another condition (e.g. kidney disease and anxiety, depression and back pain). It can be difficult (but by no means impossible!) to get disability benefits for mental illnesses alone.

Why is it hard to qualify for mental health?

There are a few key reasons it’s hard to qualify for benefits with a mental health condition:

If you’re applying for disability with a mental health condition alone, we highly recommend getting a disability lawyer who can make a compelling case for you before a judge.

Does my mental health condition qualify for disability?

Your mental condition may qualify for disability if at least some of the following are true:

And you have some of the following symptoms:

For more help, read our deep dive on navigating the disability process with a mental illness .

Musculoskeletal or orthopedic conditions that qualify for disability (e.g. back pain, rheumatoid arthritis)

If you have pain or limited mobility when performing basic physical tasks, you’re likely a good candidate for disability benefits. In fact, 30.1% of disability recipients receive benefits for orthopedic or musculoskeletal disorders. Being unable to easily walk, sit, stand, or lift items for extended periods of time makes it difficult to do many jobs.

Whether your struggles with mobility are chronic (like back pain or possible severe sciatica ), involve the soft tissues (like burns) or are due to another disorder (like osteoarthritis , rheumatoid arthritis or another inflammatory arthritis ), many of the same requirements apply.

Does my orthopedic or musculoskeletal disorder qualify for disability?

Your condition may qualify for disability if you have some of the following symptoms:

Sense and speech disorders that qualify for disability (i.e. blindness, deafness)

Blindness, deafness, and other sensory disorders can qualify for disability — 10% of SSDI recipients having at least one of these conditions. But the rules can be very complicated and very technical. We recommend looking at the SSA guide to sensory disorders and bringing them to your doctor. Beyond that, qualifying for these conditions is similar to any other — if they prevent you from being able to work, they can qualify.

We’ll briefly cover blindness and deafness since they’re the most common, but conditions that involve your ability to speak or to balance (like vertigo) can also qualify.

How to get disability for blindness

​​The SSA has an extremely specific definition of what is considered blind for disability eligibility. If you think you might qualify, it’s worth bringing these criteria to your optometrist to confirm:

Generally speaking, your blindness can’t be corrected with vision aids. If glasses or contacts would solve the problem, it’s unlikely to qualify.

How to get disability for deafness

If you’ve received cochlear implants, you qualify for disability benefits for one year after they were implanted. You can also receive benefits if, after that year, you have word recognition of less than 60% during a Hearing in Noise Test (HINT).

If you haven’t received cochlear implants but have serious hearing loss , the rules are technical and come down to your results on audiometric tests and otologic exams. Consult a lawyer, or bring the SSA Blue Book definition to your doctor and ask them to note your test results in your medical records.

Respiratory conditions that qualify for disability (e.g. COPD, cystic fibrosis)

Among disability benefit recipients, 2.4% have a respiratory condition. Like other disorders, there are many respiratory conditions that can be disabling if sufficiently severe. For example, if your asthma prevents you from running long distances but is manageable with an inhaler, there are still many jobs you can do. But if you have frequent asthma attacks doing regular, day-to-day tasks, you’re likely unable to work.

Here are common respiratory illnesses that can qualify for disability:

Does my respiratory disorder qualify for disability?

You may qualify for disability benefits if some of the following are true for you:

There are additional qualifications for conditions like sleep apnea. If it changes your cognition or behavior, or leads you to have low blood oxygen or pulmonary vasoconstriction, you may qualify.

Cardiovascular system conditions that qualify for disability (e.g. congestive heart failure, POTs)

Any disorder that affects the proper functioning of the heart or the circulatory system can qualify for disability — 6.8% of people on SSDI have such conditions.

Some common cardiovascular and heart conditions that qualify for disability benefits:

Generally, regardless of the condition, the SSA expects you to have at least one of the following issues as the result of your cardiovascular disease:

Does my heart condition qualify for disability?

If some or most of the following apply to you, you may qualify for disability:

Digestive system disorders that qualify for disability (e.g. chronic liver disease, Crohn’s)

Several digestive system disorders, when severe or difficult to treat, qualify for disability benefits — 1.4% of disability recipients have digestive disorders. Common conditions include

The SSA may also look at symptoms and surgeries as indicative of your disability. For example, if you suffer from weight loss due to a digestive disorder, if you've had a liver transplant, or if you've suffered gastrointestinal hemorrhaging that required a blood transfusion — you might qualify, regardless of what your underlying condition is.

If you have a colostomy bag , you may also be eligible for benefits.

Does my digestive system disorder qualify for disability?

The exact criteria you must meet will depend on your condition.

If you have IBD may qualify for disability if your bowels are obstructed. Alternatively, you qualify if you're following your treatment as prescribed and two or more of the following are true:

For liver diseases, you’ll meet the medical requirements if you experience hemorrhaging that results in hospitalization. There are several other tests that can be taken to confirm your chronic liver disease, but they're very technical (e.g. "Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis with peritoneal fluid containing an absolute neutrophil count of at least 250 cells"). Again, if your condition is sufficiently painful, severe, or unstable enough to prevent you from continuing to work — it’s worthwhile to apply for disability.

One side note about liver conditions specifically: Generally, the SSA isn’t supposed to consider your lifestyle when determining your disability. But if you drink alcohol — or suffer from alcoholism — and are applying for disability for your liver condition, that might hurt your case.

Genitourinary disorders that qualify for disability (e.g. chronic kidney disease)

Genitourinary disorders — chronic kidney disease being the most common — can qualify for disability benefits, and 1.7% of current SSDI recipients have a genitourinary condition.

If you suffer from renal failure and are receiving dialysis , you should qualify for disability automatically. In that case, it’d be worthwhile to reach out to your Disability Determination Services (DDS) office when you submit your application. They may be able to fast-track it for approval.

Does my genital or urinary disorder qualify for disability?

Your condition or kidney disease may qualify for Social Security disability benefits if some or most of the following are true for you:

Hematological disorders that qualify for disability (e.g. sickle cell disease, bone marrow failure)

Hematological conditions are generally well documented by lab tests, and that's what the SSA will look at first. They'll want to see a lab report of a definitive test signed by a physician, or at the very least, a report from a physician that states you have the disorder you’re applying with.

Overall, 0.3% of people on disability have hematological disorders, with common conditions including

You can also qualify for complications from the treatment of hematological disorders or procedures that involve bone marrow or stem cell transplantation.

Does my blood disorder qualify for disability?

Your specific blood disorder may qualify if at least some of the following are true for you:

Skin disorders that qualify for disability (e.g. burns, psoriasis)

Skin disorders can qualify for disability, though just 0.2% of disability recipients have one.

If you have a skin condition, a major consideration is the duration of your condition or flare-ups. For example, if you’re suffering after a burn, will your recovery time be longer than a year? If you have dermatitis, have you had skin lesions or flare-ups for at least three months?

A few specific conditions that may qualify:

Does my skin disorder qualify for disability?

A few signs your specific skin disorder may render you unable to work and eligible for disability:

Endocrine disorders that qualify for disability (e.g. diabetes)

Diabetes is the most common endocrine disorder we see qualify for Social Security disability. All told, 2.3% of benefit recipients have an endocrine disorder. Other potentially qualifying conditions include

Often, in endocrine disorders, the SSA evaluates complications that affect other bodily systems. For example, if your thyroid gland disorder results in cognitive limitations, mood disorders, and anxiety, the SSA will evaluate these symptoms as if they were a mental health disorder. If your parathyroid gland disorder alters the calcium levels in your bones, they'll evaluate the parathyroid-related osteoporosis and fractures as a musculoskeletal disorder.

Does my endocrine disorder qualify for disability?

For diabetes and other endocrine disorders, you’re likely to qualify for benefits if some of the following are true for you:

You can read our deep dive on applying for disability with diabetes for more information. For other endocrine disorders, we recommend finding the section most related to your symptoms or consulting the SSA guide for more info .

Cancers (neoplasms) that qualify for disability

Cancer can qualify for disability, and 3.0% of benefit recipients have a kind of cancer. If you have stage 4 cancer, you should qualify automatically , and the SSA may fast-track your application.

Some types of cancer that commonly qualify, though this isn’t an exhaustive list:

The following cancers qualify for accelerated approval:

Does my cancer qualify for disability?

Your cancer may qualify you for benefits if some of the following are true for you:

Specific rules about cancer in remission

If you’re in partial remission but you still have symptoms that make it hard to work a job, you should still apply for benefits. If you’ve already applied for and are receiving disability benefits, remission shouldn’t immediately impact your benefits. Your cancer is considered disabling unless you go three years from the original tumor being present, fully in remission, without any cancer recurring. At this point, the SSA may reevaluate your eligibility.

Read our deep dive on applying for disability with cancer .

Immune disorders that qualify for disability (e.g. lupus, HIV/AIDS, gout)

Immune disorders can qualify for disability benefits, with lupus , gout, and HIV/AIDS being the most common conditions. AIDS applicants, like some cancer applicants, can often be “fast-tracked.” For more details, see our list of TERI conditions (and other conditions that automatically qualify) later on.

Other immune conditions that may qualify include:

Does my immune disorder qualify for disability?

The symptoms and day-to-day impact of immune system disorders often vary, but here are some general signs you may qualify:

Lupus has some more specific symptoms that the SSA may look at:

Neurological disorders that qualify for disability (e.g. epilepsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis, ALS)

Symptoms, treatment efficacy, and day-to-day impact of neurological disorders vary, but many conditions or circumstances (like a stroke) can qualify you for disability. Some neurological conditions, like ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), automatically qualify for disability benefits. (Learn more in our section on automatic qualifications below.)

The following are some neurological conditions that can qualify for Social Security disability:

Does my neurological disorder qualify for disability?

Here are the most common neurological disorders that qualify, and some side effects that might indicate to the SSA that they’re disabling.

Cerebral Palsy:

Epilepsy:

Multiple sclerosis:

Peripheral neuropathy, stroke, and traumatic brain injury:

Injuries, infectious diseases, and other disorders

There are many other circumstances, conditions, injuries, and diseases that may qualify you for disability. When in doubt: If your condition makes it very hard, or impossible, to work over an extended period of time, it’s worthwhile to apply for disability.

If your injury or illness won’t last over a year, but is preventing you from working, you may have other options:

To learn more about all the types of disability benefits available, check out this article: Which Disability Benefits Do I Qualify For?

Conditions that automatically qualify for disability

Broadly speaking, two categories of conditions medically qualify you automatically for disability benefits. (You’ll still have to meet work history or income and asset requirements — more on those here .) These are compassionate allowance cases and TERI (terminal illness) cases.

Compassionate allowance conditions are those that are deemed sufficiently disabling by diagnosis alone. There are many disorders on this list — like Coffin-Lowry syndrome, early-onset Alzheimer's , and several types of cancer.

We’ve listed all the compassionate allowance conditions here .

TERI conditions sometimes overlap with these. If you or a third party asserts (with medical evidence) that your illness is terminal, it can be flagged as a TERI case and fast-tracked.

TERI conditions and circumstances

The following list includes some, but not all, TERI conditions that can qualify for fast tracking:

- AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome)

- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), known as Lou Gehrig's disease

- Receiving inpatient or at-home hospice care

- Chronic dependence on a cardiopulmonary life-sustaining device

- Chronic pulmonary or heart failure requiring continuous home oxygen

- Any cancer that is metastatic (has spread), Stage IV, persistent and recurrent following initial therapy, or inoperable

- Cancer of the esophagus, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, mesothelioma, small/oat cell lung cancer, brain cancer , acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), or acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)

- A coma lasting for 30 days or more

- Lethal genetic or congenital defects in newborns

Get free legal advice specific to your condition

Maybe your condition isn’t listed here. Or you have multiple conditions. Or your symptoms are inconsistent, subsiding, or likely to get worse.

Navigating the technicalities and legalities of the Social Security disability system can be difficult. A good lawyer will have studied the SSA Blue Book extensively, will know what medical evidence you need, and can help you with the application process.

For free legal advice or a lawyer (if you want or need one!) get started with Compass Disability. Our team of caring case advocates are ready to listen and provide more personalized help. Get started with our 2-minute intake quiz.

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Related resources:

Qualifying for Disability: Everything You Should Know

Is it Hard to Get Disability for Mental Illness? (Yes, But This Can Help)

What Conditions Qualify FAQ

What conditions automatically qualify you for disability?

Compassionate allowance cases or TERI cases qualify you for disability. You’ll still have to meet work history or income and asset requirements — more on those here . We’ve listed all the compassionate allowance conditions for 2024 here .

What medical conditions qualify for disability?

Many conditions can qualify for Social Security disability, as long as they’re severe enough to keep you from working. We’ve helped clients get disability benefits for a wide range of health issues — from diabetes , to Crohn’s , to anxiety , to cancer .

What heart conditions qualify for disability?

Many common cardiovascular and heart conditions that qualify for disability benefits, including: Aneurysms (especially if you experience consistent chest pain), Congestive heart failure (especially if you’ve had to be hospitalized due to episodes), Coronary artery disease, and Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).

What back conditions qualify for disability?

Many back conditions qualify for disability — in particular those that limit your ability to easily walk, sit, stand, or lift items. If you have back pain or limited mobility when performing basic physical tasks, you’re likely a good candidate for benefits. In fact, 30.1% of disability recipients receive benefits for orthopedic or musculoskeletal disorders.

Jackie Jakab

Lead Attorney

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