Can You Receive Social Security Disability Benefits for a Pituitary Gland Disorder?

Your pituitary gland may be small, but it can have a significant impact on your health. It is this gland that makes the hormones that affect your growth and the function of your other glands. When either too many hormones are produced by the pituitary gland or not enough hormones are produced by the pituitary gland, significant health complications can occur.

What Happens When There Is a Pituitary Gland Problem

When there is a medical problem, such as a tumor, that impacts the pituitary gland, the following hormone levels may be affected:

• Growth hormone. This is the hormone responsible for growth in children, but it is important for adults as well. In adults, the growth hormone is important for maintaining muscle and bone mass.
• Adrenocorticotropin. This hormone causes the adrenal glands to create cortisol. Cortisol helps us maintain our blood pressure and blood glucose levels.
• Thyroid-stimulating hormone. This stimulates the thyroid gland to create hormones that regulate the body’s metabolism, energy, nervous system activity and more.
• Antidiuretic hormone. This regulates water balance in the body.

Other hormones, such hormones that impact sexual health, fertility, and breast feeding, may also be impacted.

The impact of the overproduction or underproduction of these hormones can be serious.

But Are You Eligible for Social Security Disability?

According to Section 9 of the Listing of Impairments, your eligibility for Social Security disability depends on how your pituitary gland disorder is impacting your body. Your eligibility for benefits will be evaluated based on the how it impacts a specific body system. For example, if you have medical documentation to establish that your pituitary gland disorder resulted in diabetes, the Social Security Administration would determine your eligibility pursuant to the eligibility requirements for diabetes.

If you are unable to work because of your medical condition, it is important to learn more about your potential eligibility for Social Security disability and to take the necessary steps to protect your rights. We encourage you to download a FREE copy of our book, Social Security Disability: What You Need to Know, today and to contact us to schedule an initial meeting about your eligibility.

by Paul B. Burkhalter
Managing Partner of Morgan & Weisbrod, Board Certified in Social Security Disability Law.

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