Heart valve disease is a condition in which at least one heart valve does not work. If you think you have the condition and want to see if you qualify for Social Security Disability benefits, you need an accurate diagnosis.
WebMD explains common heart valve disease symptoms and how medical care professionals diagnose the condition. While exploring your options for protecting your financial health, understand how to protect your physical health.
Symptoms
A person with heart valve disease may have a hard time catching her or his breath or have trouble breathing. This symptom commonly appears while performing regular daily activities or while stretched out on the bed. You may have an easier time taking full breaths if you prop yourself up with a few pillows.
Another symptom of the health condition is feeling too fatigued to complete daily activities. You may also experience dizziness or even lose consciousness. During physical activities or while stepping out into cold air, you may feel a weight or pressure in your chest, which could indicate heart valve disease.
Diagnosis
When you visit the doctor for an official diagnosis, share the above symptoms if you experience them and similar ones. Expect to undergo a physical exam, during which your physician may listen to your heart valves open and close. Signs of heart murmurs include a swirling sound as blood moves through a leaky or stenotic valve.
Your doctor may also listen to your lungs to determine whether you retain fluid in them. If so, that could mean your heart cannot pump efficiently.
Depending on your symptoms, medical history and diagnosis results, you could qualify for Social Security Disability benefits.
