Getting Disability for Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), or “idiopathic environmental intolerance,” is a term used for people who experience negative physical reactions to a wide range of substances found in everyday objects. MCS as a stand alone diagnosis is currently under debate in the medical community, since doctors aren’t yet sure what causes it. As a set of symptoms, however, MCS can interfere with your ability to work in certain environments. And if you’re unable to perform any full-time job for at least one year, you might qualify for Social Security disability.

It can be challenging to get disability benefits for MCS alone. Because there’s no known test for MCS, Social Security will need to see documentation of other medical disorders before the agency can award you benefits. But if you’re at least 50 years of age and have developed a sensitivity to chemicals or odors that you used to work with extensively, you should learn how ruling out those past jobs can qualify you for disability.

When Is Multiple Chemical Sensitivity a Disability?

The Social Security Administration (SSA) considers you disabled when you have a medically determinable impairment that keeps you from working full-time for at least twelve months. You can show this in one of two ways: by meeting a listed impairment or by having functional limitations that rule out all jobs.

The SSA can’t award disability based on only symptoms without objective findings, like the results of a blood test or an X-ray. Currently, those diagnostic tools aren’t available to detect MCS. However, if you have other medically documented conditions, additional restrictions from your MCS symptoms might be the tipping point for the agency to find that you can’t do any jobs.

What Causes MCS?

The causes of multiple chemical sensitivity are unknown. Doctors who acknowledge MCS as a separate diagnosis think the symptoms may be the result of a process called sensitization, which happens when your body is exposed to a chemical for the first time and then “overreacts” to any subsequent exposure, no matter how small. Several substances are commonly attributed to MCS symptoms, including:

• synthetic fabrics found in upholstery or carpeting
• fumes from paint, gas, or aerosol spray
• cleaning products
• plastics or petroleum products, and
• perfumes or fragrances.

Other doctors point to recent studies suggesting that MCS is the result of an underlying anxiety disorder. (Mental health impairments can qualify for disability just like physical impairments can.)

Symptoms of MCS

Many of the symptoms of MCS will be familiar to anybody who’s had an allergic reaction, such as a runny nose, itchy eyes, or sore throat. But some of the symptoms can be more intense and can interfere significantly with your daily routine. They include problems with the following body systems:

• respiratory (difficulty breathing, asthma, sinus irritation)
• neurological (dizziness, headaches, tingling sensations, light and noise sensitivity)
• musculoskeletal (pain and stiffness in your muscles and joints)
• cardiovascular (chest pain, irregular heartbeat, fatigue)
• skin (rashes, itches, eczema), and
• mental (difficulty concentrating or focusing, confusion, panic attacks).

Even though doctors don’t currently have a test for MCS, Social Security wants to see medical evidence that you’re regularly visiting a doctor for these symptoms, especially if you’re receiving treatment for other diagnosed medical disorders.

How Social Security Decides Whether Your MCS Is a Disability

When you first submit your application for Social Security benefits, a disability claims examiner will review your file to determine whether you have any severe impairments. Severe impairments are conditions or disorders that interfere significantly with your activities of daily living.

Because MCS is divisive in the medical community, the agency might not recognize MCS as a severe impairment by itself. But if you have other severe impairments, Social Security is more likely to find that the combined effect of MCS with your other disorders is enough to find you disabled.

Your Residual Functional Capacity and Environmental Restrictions

Social Security reviews your medical records and self-reported daily activities to determine your residual functional capacity (RFC). Your RFC is a set of restrictions on what you can do at work that takes into account the limitations caused by your medical conditions. These restrictions can be exertional—such as how much weight you can lift or how long you can be on your feet—or non-exertional.

Non-exertional limitations include “environmental limitations” on the types of job settings you can work in. For example, somebody with MCS may have restrictions on working around certain chemicals, gases, or materials. Social Security very rarely awards disability benefits based only on environmental restrictions, which is why it’s important for you to document all other medical conditions that you’re getting treated for. But while solely environmental restrictions aren’t typically disabling, in certain circumstances they can “piggy-back” your RFC into ruling out all work for you.

Deciding Whether You Can Do Your Past or Other Work

Social Security uses your RFC to first determine whether you’re still able to perform your past work. (This is a particularly important step for applicants who are 50 and over because if they can’t do their past work, they can be found disabled using the medical-vocational grid rules.) For example, if your past work environment involved frequent exposure to substances that trigger MCS symptoms, Social Security won’t assume that you can still do that job safely.

If you can’t perform your past work and you aren’t disabled under the grid rules, then the agency will need to determine whether any other jobs exist that you can still do despite the limitations in your RFC. So if your RFC says that you can’t work around certain petroleum products but doesn’t mention anything about not being able to do an office job, you’re unlikely to qualify for benefits unless you also have another impairment that further limits your ability to work (say, back pain that prevents you from sitting all day).

Social Security Disability Benefit Amounts

Social Security doesn't award benefits based on the type of medical condition you have. Rather, the amount you'll receive if you're approved depends on whether you qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSDI eligibility is based on your work history, while SSI is needs-based and subject to certain income and resource limits. You can find out more in our article on SSDI and SSI monthly check amounts.

Applying for Disability With MCS

You can get your Social Security disability claim started in one of the following ways:

• Call 800-772-1213 (TTY: 800-325-0778) 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, to speak with a representative.
• Contact your local Social Security office and make an appointment to apply in person.
• Apply online, where you can complete the application at your own pace.

If you need help, you may want to follow our step-by-step guide to applying for SSDI or SSI.

What Do I Do If My Claim Is Denied?

Applying for disability due to MCS can be challenging, but not impossible. Social Security tends to be skeptical of claims that can’t be backed up with traditional medical diagnostics, although some applicants have had successful claims with similar issues, such as conversion disorder. If you do receive a denial letter, you have 60 days to appeal the decision.

You can improve your chances on appeal by providing a medical source statement from your treating provider discussing your MCS. You may also consider having a friend or family member write a support letter on your behalf. Finally, you might want to get help from an experienced disability attorney. Many lawyers offer free consultations (and disability attorneys work on contingency), so there’s little risk in asking around to find a lawyer who is a good match.