It is very difficult to prove or disprove the extent of pain that a person is in and that is the reason that without hard evidence it can be near impossible to prove. The applicative word here in that statement is the words are near impossible and not impossible.

Proving Pain for Disability

This is where a patient having a long relationship with a family doctor can prove immensely indispensable in proving the actual pain severity and the onset timeline. That is because a physician who has regularly treated the patient has likely seen that patient go from a state of good health and watched them decline into the present condition.

Various tests to determine nerve root compression and ascertain that the pain is having a pronounced physiological response will assist in proving that the ailment is impairing the level of function and possible warrants consideration for disability. Many applicants are discouraged by the process but it has to be remembered that the Social Security Department protects the interests of all citizens by filtering out the fraudulent applicants from those that genuinely need benefits. Sometimes, cases that are genuine do get rejected but an appeal or two in a genuine case will often result in the desired results.

Degenerative Disc and Injury Back Pain

Degenerative disc diseases are the main type of back pain conditions where a disability may be considered. Not only is there visual proof of disc damage, through X-rays or an MRI, but the degree of nerve impingement can be assessed. This is in stark contrast to chronic back pain problems associated with muscle and ligament damage of gradual onset. However, disc degeneration is still difficult to prove when compared to back pain associated with injuries which is of a sudden onset.

One of the factors that the Social Security Disability Department will consider when reviewing a case that is due to Degenerating Discs is the age of the person whom is filing for Disability. In other words how much useful and productive working time would this individual have if they were not disabled.

Disability or Treatment?

Once this has been determined the Social Security people will make a determination as to whether it is most cost effective to have surgery to repair the issue, such as a fusion, or if there are other options that might return this person to an active and productive member of society.

The cost of that fact is weighed against the cost of putting them on either complete or partial disability. The decision is more often than not based on strict guidelines that are simply black and white. The patient will often be denied on the first attempt and may need to file an appeal if they believe that the decision was not correct. That means more time and tests in order to get back to the appeal process.

Yoga Helps All Disabilities

The gentle stretching of yoga and its centered-breathing discipline can benefit people who may have arthritis, multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease, or osteoporosis as well as those who have had a stroke. The “asanas,” or poses that make up a yoga practice can also help with balance and strength while helping you find a calming emotional space that helps not only with healing, but also with the day-to-day challenges of life.

In addition, notes the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD), yoga aids your:

• Digestive system, as the bending and stretching poses stimulate the digestive system
• Cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary systems (also known as your heart and lungs!), as the more active poses increase heart rate and lung capacity through aerobic activity.
• Lymphatic system (essentially, the primary component of your immune system), which needs strong muscles and active interaction among the lungs, diaphragm, and thorax to stay strong.
• Skeletal and muscular systems, which benefit from yoga’s focus on proper alignment, flexibility, and muscle-strengthening

Yoga Improves Activities of Daily Living

Besides leaving students with improved virtues such as confidence and patience, yoga has practical applications for everyday living. In his book, Waking: A Memoir of Trauma and Transcendence (Rodale, 2008), Matthew Sanford mentions one of his students who has cerebral palsy, which caused the man to have frequent falls and resulting injuries. After becoming a regular student in Sanford’s yoga classes, the man fell in the shower one day but was able to use his improved body control to land in a way that spared him from injury.

Sanford said that in his own life, yoga has given him the strength to easily transfer in and out of different wheelchairs, as well as produced noticeable improvements in balance and flexibility.

Learning More About Yoga for People with Disabilities

One of the best free sources of information regarding yoga and its benefits is the NCPAD’s website section, “Yoga for Individuals with Disabilities.”

Included among its overviews, articles, videos, and online demonstrations are information about yoga’s benefits, yoga equipment, what to expect in a yoga session, demonstrations of specific exercises, a resource list, a directory of yoga organizations (definitely needs updating/expanding), and a relatively current (2005 is most recent publication date) list of books and articles about yoga for various conditions.