Social Security Disability and Immune System Disorders

Autoimmune disorders arise when our own body's immune system attacks the body’s healthy organs and tissues as though they were foreign invaders. 

Instead of protecting us from diseases, the immune system thinks our body is a disease. 

When this happens, many disorders can arise and they are very, very difficult to diagnose.  They are however diagnosed by rheumatologists who follow classification criteria established by the American College of Rheumatology. 

The criterion usually requires a certain number of characteristics of the disorder to be present.  While some can be observed upon examination, some of the criteria require lab work or diagnostic studies.

Social Security revised the listing criteria for these disorders in 2008.  Now, these disorders will be found disabling when there are repeated flares (3 times a year, lasting 2 wks) and a marked limitation in one of the following:

  • Activities of daily living
  • Social functioning
  • Completing tasks in a timely manner due to deficiencies in concentration.


HIV/AIDs covered in the Listing of Impairments

The HIV listing has changed substantially since it was first added in 1993.  Due to the availability of drug therapy to prevent HIV from turning into full blown AIDS, many individuals are able to live a longer life span, although the quality of life may suffer.  To meet the HIV listing the individual must have:
  • objective proof of the HIV infection and a manifestation (along with the listing criteria for the manifestation). 
  • Objective proof of the HIV infection repeated manifestations (without the listing criteria for the manifestation.
  • Significant side-effects to the medications which prevent manifestations but which affect functioning.

What are the manifestations? 
See the list below.
  • Infections (bacterial, fungal, protozoan, viral, sepsis, sinusitis)
  • Cancer
  • skin lesions
  • cognitive loss
  • wasting syndrome
  • diarrhea



Immune System Disorder and disability
Conditions covered under  the Listing of Impairments include:
  • lupus
  • systemic vasculitis
  • polymyositis
  • dermatomyositis
  • undifferentiated & mixed connective tissue disease,
  • scleroderma
  • ankylosing spondylitis
  • HIV
  • Immune deficiency disorders/infections (sepsis, meningitis, pneymonia, septic arthritis, endocarditisit, sinusitis)
  • rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory arthritis (gout, etc).

Helpful Questions:
Connective tissue disorders
  • Do you see a rheumatologist?
  • Have you had lab work?
  • Have you had x-rays of the painful and/or swollen joints?
  • Are you sensitive to light?
  • Do your fingers get cold and/or turn purple?
  • Do you get rashes?
  • Have you been on prednisone?

HIV/AIDs
  • Have you had a lab test to establish HIV infection?
  • Do you know what your T-cell count is?  A count below 200 is considered significant but no longer meets the listing.
  • Are you on the cocktail medications? 
  • If so, do you experience side effects?
The Law offices of Suzanne Villalon-Hinojosa are located in Schertz, San Antonio and Edinburg Texas, serving all disabled Texans
Copyright 2010 Law Offices of Suzanne Villalon-Hinojosa:  Texas Social Security Disability.  All Rights Reserved.
National Board of SSD Advocacy
1-800-481-0302
The immune system protects the body from potentially harmful substances. The inflammatory response (inflammation) is part of innate immunity. It occurs when tissues are injured by bacteria, trauma, toxins, heat or any other cause.