According to the World Health Organization, neurological conditions are now the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide, and the prevalence of neurological conditions has increased by almost 20% in the last 30 years. The symptoms and limitations caused by neurological impairments are quite variable, given how complicated the nervous system is. Symptoms related to impairments like cerebrovascular accident (stroke), migraines, diabetic neuropathy, vertigo and other balance disorders, dementia, autism, and nervous system cancers can cause severe pain, profound fatigue, loss of body functions, loss of mental abilities, and cause mood disorders like depression or anxiety. Treatment plans vary significantly from person to person but usually begin with conservative measures such as medication management or physical and occupational therapy. If unsuccessful, more intense rehabilitation services may be needed, and surgery (often more than one) can be necessary when all else fails. Sometimes, the treatments cause additional side effects that further limit a person’s ability to function.

Most neurological disorders do not affect a person the same way every day; it is very typical for a person with this kind of medical condition to have “good days and bad days,” days where functioning does not seem very affected at all but other days where it’s a struggle even to do basic daily activities.

A disabling condition does not need to be disabling every day to support a finding that a person is unable to work because being able to work means doing it daily, week after week, on a regular and continuous basis.