Get Social Security Disability & SSI: Spinal Arachnoiditis

Legal Author - Travis Hansen, Esq.
Updated - September 1, 2025

Winning Your Case

Important Medical Evidence - Spinal Arachnoiditis

What Is It. Back or neck arachnoiditis is caused by inflammation of the arachnoid membrane that surrounds the nerves of the spinal cord. The inflammation produces scar tissue which causes the spinal nerves to clump together. The clumping causes nerve compression. Spinal arachnoiditis usually occurs as a result of spinal surgery, trauma, or infection.

Diagnosis. You will need to submit to Social Security medical records showing your diagnosis which is a MRI (sometimes a CT), and an EMG. The MRI test result will need to show the existence of the scar tissue. The EMG test result will need to show the existence of neuropathy, radiculopathy, or myelopathy (the nerve or spinal cord is damaged and affecting a nerve).

Tip #1. One special consideration with arachnoiditis is that it is often misdiagnosed. Many doctors instead diagnose patients with "failed back surgery," "chronic pain," or "excessive scar tissue." While these diagnoses are significant, they do not explain the true nature and severity of your condition, and they are generally not as significant or disabling to Social Security as spinal arachnoiditis. If you have arachnoiditis, it is important your doctor makes that specific diagnosis.

Symptoms. The more severe your symptoms, the more likely you are disabled. Social Security will look for common symptoms of spinal arachnoiditis such as the following:

1. Pain,
2. Numbness,
3. Tingling,
4. Muscle spasms,
5. Weakness, and
6. Extremity neuropathy (pain, numbness, and tingling that radiates into the arms or legs).

Treatment. You will also need to submit to Social Security your ongoing medical records showing treatment which is usually limited to attempts to manage pain - pain medications, muscle relaxers, steroid injections, TENS unit, or a spinal cord stimulator, and rarely surgery.

Tip #2. Another special consideration with arachnoiditis is that it is rarely operable and why. There are two reasons. First, when your scar tissue is intertwined with a nerve, it is generally the case that a surgeon is unable to cut the scar tissue away without also cutting the nerve and causing permanent nerve damage. Second, for this reason, doctor often decline a surgery. It is important you make Social Security aware of a surgeon's inability to remedy arachnoiditis with a surgery; therefore, it is important to submit medical records or a specific statement from your surgeon that the scar tissue/arachnoiditis cannot be surgically removed.

Step 3 - The Adult Spinal Arachnoiditis Social Security & SSI Listing

The Social Security & SSI listing for spinal arachnoiditis is Adult Listing 1.04B which requires you to show -

1. You have an appropriate diagnosis,
2. You have compromise of a nerve root or spinal cord,
3. You have pain or numbness, and
4. You must alter your position no less than twice every two hours.

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