Rare pain syndrome starts as physical ends as psychological

On Behalf of | Dec 18, 2013 | Uncategorized

There is a rare disorder called Amplified Musculoskeletal Pain Syndrome, also known as Widespread Pain Syndrome, Pain Associated Disability Syndrome and even Diffuse Idiopathic Pain Syndrome. It goes by a number of different names, but it describes the same thing: widespread pain of an unknown origin.

What makes this type of syndrome so unusual is that it often begins with a physical injury — even a minor one — that develops into what appears to be a psychological disorder affecting children. The “unknown origin” refers to the fact that although the patient experiences very real pain across their entire body, the pain can’t be traced back to a physical cause, including the original injury.

The symptoms of whatever this mysterious disorder are highly debilitating. For one young girl, she went from being an incredible diver to requiring 24-hour help from her mom. She didn’t just require assistance with lifting heavy objects. This girl’s pain was so real that she was relegated to a wheelchair, getting spoon-fed by her mom.

In the case mentioned above, the girl did eventually recover. In fact, she did so at Children’s Mercy Hospital, right here in Missouri. This young girl isn’t the only one who has sought treatment at Mercy. The hospital is one of the few across the country with a program specifically designed to handle this type of rare disorder.

Can a rare disorder or illness act as the basis of a claim for Social Security disability or Supplemental Security Income benefits?

An illness does not have to be common to become the basis of a claim for assistance, but establishing a disability can be a complex process. Seeking the assistance of a SSD attorney can help individuals understand the program and ensure that no details are missed in their application process.

Source: ctpost.com, “Children’s Mercy treats teens with mysterious pain,” Eric Adler, Dec. 17, 2013

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