Social Security Disability for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome happens when swelling in your wrist puts pressure on the median nerve, which carries signals between your brain and the muscles in your hand. Repetitive motions of the hands and wrist are the most common causes of carpal tunnel syndrome, a form of stress injury. Injuries to the wrist or chronic diseases like arthritis or lupus can also result in carpal tunnel syndrome.

Carpal tunnel syndrome can make it hard to perform many job tasks, such as typing or moving small objects. If symptoms from the disorder are keeping you from working full-time for at least one year, you may qualify for Social Security disability benefits (SSDI or SSI). Before you submit your application, it’s a good idea to learn the basics about what evidence you’ll need to provide and when Social Security will consider you disabled.

Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome a Disability?

Carpal tunnel syndrome can be a disability if it prevents you from engaging in substantial gainful activity for twelve months or longer. For example, weakness in your hand, numbness in your palms, and stiffness in your fingers can cause difficulty gripping or carrying objects. Additionally, pain in your arm and wrist can distract you from completing your job tasks. These symptoms can interfere with your ability to do your job on a regular basis.

People with mild carpal tunnel may be able to successfully control their symptoms with simple measures, such as adjusting their desks, wearing a splint, or exercising their hands. But if you haven’t had success with conservative therapies, your doctor may recommend more invasive methods, like surgery. If your symptoms continue despite more intense treatment, you might qualify for disability.

How to Get Disability Benefits for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

As long as your carpal tunnel syndrome is a medically determinable impairment—meaning a medical professional has documented objective evidence of the condition—you can qualify for disability benefits if your functional limitations rule out any type of full-time work. (Carpal tunnel syndrome isn’t one of Social Security’s Blue Book listed impairments, so you won’t be able to get benefits automatically for the disorder.)

Gather Medical Evidence Showing You Have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Your medical evidence is the foundation of your disability application (“claim”). Ideally, your medical records will include a diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome based on specific physical findings, symptoms characteristic of the disorder, and abnormal test results. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will be on the lookout for evidence of carpal tunnel syndrome from the following tests:

• Thumb weakness diagnostics measure the strength of your thumb by testing your ability to raise your thumb towards the sky when it is flat on a table and to touch your thumb to your pinky finger.
• Phalen’s test checks for numbness when your hands are dangled off of a table with the back of your hands touching one another and your fingers pointing towards the ground.
• Tinel’s sign occurs when the median nerve is tapped to check for tingling or shock upon contact.
• Pressure provocation testing applies pressure over the carpal tunnel to check for tingling or shock.
• Tourniquet testing applies an inflatable cuff over the carpal tunnel to check for tingling or shock.
• Nerve conduction studies measure how quickly signals travel through the nerves that control movement and sensation in your wrist and hand by sending electrical pulses through your wrist and hand.
• Grip strength and dexterity testing provides evidence of any weakness in your hands and fingers when picking up and holding objects.
• Electromyography involves placing an electric wire on the muscle to record the electrical activity of that muscle.

Doctors sometimes use medical imaging, such as ultrasounds and MRIs, to diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome. But these methods aren’t generally accepted for a proper diagnosis in the medical community, so the SSA won’t value them as highly when determining whether you have carpal tunnel.

You’ll also want to show that you’ve been receiving treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome. For example, your progress notes may show a prescription for anti-inflammatory medication (such as NSAIDs) or pain relievers, steroid injections, or even carpal tunnel release surgery. If you do have surgery, make sure that the SSA has records of your hospital admission and discharge summaries.

Make Sure Social Security Knows Your Functional Limitations

Just having a diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome (while helpful) isn’t enough on its own for Social Security to determine that you’re disabled. You also have to prove that you’re unable to work due to limitations from your symptoms—what the agency refers to as having a residual functional capacity (RFC) that rules out all jobs.

Your RFC is a set of restrictions that describe what you can and can’t do in a work environment. Disability claimants with carpal tunnel almost always have non-exertional (meaning not strength-related) manipulative limitations in their RFC. Manipulative limitations place restrictions on how long you can use your fingers and hands. In your RFC, the amount of time you can use your hands will be broken into five categories:

• Never means not even once during an 8-hour workday.
• Rarely means only 1-5% of the workday.
• Occasionally means up to one-third (33%) of the workday.
• Frequently means between one- and two-thirds (up to 66%) of the workday.
• Constantly means more than two-thirds (over 66%) of the workday.

The more severe your carpal tunnel symptoms are, the less you’ll be able to manipulate objects during the day. If you're able to manage your symptoms with a quick rest break every hour, you might have an RFC that limits your activity to frequent (but not constant) manipulation. But if you aren't able to type for longer than 10 minutes without pain, your RFC might limit you to only occasional manipulation.

Social Security doesn’t expect you to do any jobs that don't fit within your RFC, so the agency will compare the limitations in your current RFC with the demands of your past work to see if you could do those jobs now. If you can’t return to your old jobs, then Social Security needs to determine whether other work exists that you could perform. For people younger than 50, this means you’ll need to show that you can’t do the easiest sit-down jobs to be found disabled. Claimants 50 years of age and older may be able to qualify for disability even if you can do easier jobs, as long as you've never done that type of work before (and can’t learn).

Because very few, if any, jobs exist that don’t require you to use your hands, make sure that you diligently document any trouble you have with your motor skills. Let the SSA know if you struggle with common work tasks such as typing, using a telephone, operating a cash register, filing, and using handheld tools. And don’t forget to discuss what chores and hobbies you find hard to complete in your activities of daily living questionnaire. Be detailed when you fill out the form. For example, saying “My hands hurt” doesn’t give the SSA much information about how long you can use your hands. But saying “I need help tying my shoes and buttoning my shirts” paints a clearer picture of your limitations.

Impairments Related to Carpal Tunnel

If you don’t have a diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome but have trouble using your hands and fingers, you might have symptoms of another related disorder that's disabling. Examples of diseases that can cause difficulties with motor skills include soft tissue injury, diabetes, arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, and kidney failure.

Even disability claimants who do have a diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome are rarely getting treated for that condition only. Social Security has to consider the combined effects of your impairments when assessing your RFC, so let the agency know if you have additional medical impairments that you think interfere with your ability to work.

Can I Get SSDI or SSI Benefits for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

In order to receive disability benefits, you’ll need to meet the non-medical eligibility requirements for either Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSDI pays more per month than SSI, but eligibility for SSDI is determined by your work history, so you might not qualify if you haven’t worked in a long time. SSI is available regardless of your work history, but you’ll need to show that you have income and assets below certain levels.

You must be legally eligible to receive benefits from either the SSDI or SSI programs in order to get disability payments. (If you don’t qualify under either program, you can’t get benefits, no matter how severe your carpal tunnel syndrome is.) If you’re awarded benefits, the exact monthly amount you’ll receive will depend on whether you qualify for SSDI or SSI. For more information, check out our articles on how much you’ll get from SSDI and how much you’ll get from SSI.

How to Apply for Disability Benefits

Filing for SSDI or SSI is a fairly straightforward process. You can choose from one of the methods below to begin your application.

• One easy way is to file your claim online. You don’t have to complete the application in one sitting, and you’ll get a tracking number so you can check the status of your claim.
• You can also apply over the phone by calling Social Security at 800-772-1213 (TTY 800-325-0778) 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.
• If you prefer to file in person, you can schedule an appointment with a representative at your local Social Security field office.

For more information, see our article about applying for Social Security disability benefits.

What to Do If You’re Denied Benefits for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Few disability applicants are awarded benefits on their first try. If you're denied, you’ll need to submit an appeal (“reconsideration”) of your application before you can request a hearing with an administrative law judge. Most people who are awarded disability don’t get approved until after a hearing with a judge, a process that can take about a year (or more, in some cases.)

You aren’t required to get legal assistance during any part of the disability determination process, but it’s usually a good idea. An experienced lawyer can help you gather the medical evidence you need to show that you’re disabled and can handle communications with Social Security so that you don’t miss any important appeal deadlines. Disability attorneys work on contingency (meaning they get paid only if you win) and many offer free consultations, so it doesn’t hurt to ask around to find a lawyer you like.