Can You Apply for Disability Benefits Due to Migraine?

Yes, you can apply for disability. The fact is, migraine is the second most common cause of disability in the world.

In the United States, you may have the option of short- or long-term disability.

Short-term disability

If you or your employer has been paying into a short-term disability policy, you may qualify for benefits. Check your policy or speak with your human resources manager to learn more.

With short-term disability, benefits may only last a few months.

Long-term disability

If you have a long-term disability policy on your own or through work, check the policy details to find out what to do next.

If you don’t have a policy of your own or through your employer, you can apply through the Social Security Administration (SSA).

Under Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you’re unlikely to receive benefits for occasional migraine attacks. But you may be approved if you:

• have chronic migraine that’s expected to last at least a year
• can’t perform your usual work
• can’t adjust to another type of work
• have worked enough hours and paid Social Security taxes

Your application won’t be considered if you don’t have enough work history. If you’re still working, that’s definitely going to affect your case.

To qualify for disability benefits, the SSA must be convinced that:

• your migraine is severe enough to prevent you from doing your job
• you can’t do other work based on your age, education, and skills
• your condition has lasted or is expected to last at least 1 year or is expected to result in death

For the SSA to consider migraine a disability, it must be diagnosed by an acceptable medical source who:

• shows they performed a physical exam, reviewed your medical history, and excluded other possible diagnoses
• provides a detailed description of a typical migraine attack and all accompanying symptoms
• provides evidence of response to treatment and that migraine attacks persist

A certain amount of patience is required at this point. It can take 3–5 months, or even longer, for a decision to be made.

If you think you qualify for SSDI, start working on it now because the process will take a minimum of several months. It’s all about documentation — and plenty of it.

Get your medical records

Avoid delays by gathering your medical records and other evidence now. You’ll need:

• contact information and patient ID numbers of all healthcare professionals, hospitals, and clinics where you were seen for migraine diagnosis or treatment
• test results and treatments, including who ordered them
• a list of medications, who prescribed them, and why

You know that your chronic migraine is disabling. Your doctor may agree and even put it in writing. That’s simply not enough for SSDI.

Get as much documentation as you can from your neurologist or headache specialist. Include information about all symptoms you experience before, during, and after a migraine attack, as well as any side effects from medications.

List your work history

Your work history will show whether you have enough credits. As of 2022, you get 1 credit for each $1,510 in earnings. You can earn up to 4 credits a year.

In most cases, you need 40 credits, including 20 within the 10 years before your disability made it hard for you to work. This may be adjusted for age.

Be ready to provide information about education and job training. For a complete list of what you’ll need, download the SSA’s application checklist.

Fill out an application

You can mail an application or bring it to your local SSA office. Better yet, save time and start the process online.

Be prepared to share information within the application, such as:

• alternate contact
• names and birthdays of minor children and spouse
• dates of marriages and divorces
• medical release form SSA-827
• medical and job worksheet form SSA-3381
• bank account information for direct deposit

The SSA will contact you if they need anything else. You may have to participate in a phone or in-person interview.

In the meantime, you can log in and check your application status anytime. Your application will be confirmed by email or mail.

You have 60 days from the date you receive a denial to appeal. You can file a disability appeal online. Before you do that, pay close attention to the reasons for denial so you can further support your case.

There are four levels of appeal:

1. Reconsideration: Someone else will review your application and any new documents that are submitted.
2. Hearing: You can request a hearing in front of an administrative law judge. They may ask for more documentation. You can bring doctors or other expert witnesses to the hearing.
3. Appeals council: The appeals council can deny your request if they agree with the hearing decision. They can also decide your case or return it to an administrative law judge.
4. Federal court: You can file a lawsuit in a federal district court.

You’re free to handle all this yourself, have someone else help you, or hire a lawyer.

If you’re still trying to work, it may help to have a conversation with your employer. You can ask for reasonable accommodations for migraine attacks, but make sure to prepare for this meeting.

Remember, not everyone understands migraine attacks and how they can affect your ability to function.

Clearly and briefly explain your symptoms, how long they last, and how they affect your performance. List work-related migraine triggers and things that tend to exacerbate an attack.

Bring potential solutions to the table. You may be able to agree on things such as:

• alternate lighting
• noise reduction
• eliminating strong odors
• making your workstation more comfortable
• a flexible work schedule
• a lighter workload when needed
• the ability to work from home when necessary

A few accommodations may help you function better, which is to your employer’s benefit as well. It probably won’t hurt to point that out.

Is there Veterans Affairs (VA) disability for migraine?

Yes, a person can potentially receive VA disability due to migraine. To do so, a healthcare professional must fill out and submit a Disability Benefits Questionnaire on your behalf regarding your migraine attacks to the VA.

Can you get disability for migraine?

It’s possible to get Social Security disability for migraine, but there’s no official listing on the SSA website, also referred to as the Blue Book, for it. If your migraine is a symptom of an underlying medical condition, you can qualify for disability through one of those conditions. These include:

• high blood pressure
• stroke
• fibromyalgia
• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• depression
• heart disease
• anxiety
• epilepsy

Additionally, you’ll need to provide medical documents that prove you’re unable to work due to your condition.

If you don’t have an underlying condition that causes your migraine attacks but are still greatly impacted by them and unable to work, you may still be able to obtain disability.

To do so, you can apply for a Medical Vocation Allowance through SSA. To apply, you must have a primary care physician fill out a Residual Function Capacity assessment.

This allows the SSA to help try and find a job that you’re able to do while living with migraine. If there isn’t a job that you can adequately do based on your skills, then you may qualify for disability.

What is a migraine disability assessment?

The Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) is a questionnaire that helps determine how your migraine attacks impact your day-to-day life. The questions can also serve to help your primary care physician determine a proper treatment for you based on the level of disability your migraine attacks may cause.

If you’re unable to work due to chronic migraine, you can apply for disability benefits. You need to have enough work credits and evidence that you can’t work anymore due to your migraine symptoms.

Migraine disability may be difficult to prove, but it can be done. You can make your case with the help of your doctor and lots of detailed documentation.