Tilt Table Tests for Long Term Disability

When filing for long term disability, you may consider testing options such as the tilt table test to help bolster your disability claim.  But how do you know if the tilt table test is right for you?

Your insurance company will demand strong medical proof of your inability to work in order to approve your disability benefits.  While this may not be as much of a concern for easily evidenced disabilities, certain conditions are harder to prove than others.  This is where a tilt table test may be beneficial for your disability claim.

The tilt table test results can provide strong evidence of conditions that cause dizziness and/or syncope (the medical term for unexplained fainting).  Below we’ll discuss what the tilt table test is, what it involves, and how it can help get your long term disability claim approved.

What is the tilt table test?

A tilt table test is a non-invasive study conducted to determine the cause of unexplained fainting in patients.  The test mimics the circumstances that may trigger your symptoms.  Typically, a cardiologist is the one who will perform a tilt table test.

The tilt table test is true to its name.  It involves the patient lying on a horizontal table that is then tilted upright.  During the test, the patient’s blood pressure and heartrate are monitored by the evaluator.  The motion of the table/change of position can trigger symptoms of syncope.  The test’s results can show irregularities in your heartrate and blood pressure that may be responsible for your symptoms.

When should I undergo a tilt table test?

The tilt table test is generally recommended for those who experience symptoms such as:

• • Syncope (unexplained loss of consciousness, i.e. passing out/fainting)
  • Dizziness
  • Vertigo
  • Lightheadedness
  • Increased heartrate when moving from a reclined position to standing/sitting
  • Chronic fatigue

Generally speaking, syncope-related symptoms happen due to either neurogenic or cardiogenic causes.  Neurogenic conditions stem from your nervous system.  Cardiogenic conditions relate to the cardiovascular system.

There are a range of conditions the tilt table test helps diagnose.  These conditions include:

• • Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS)
  • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
  • Neurocardiogenic syncope
  • Hypotension (i.e. low blood pressure)
  • Cardiovascular issues (such as arrhythmia, heart disease, etc.)

If you suffer from a condition that causes abnormal changes in your heartrate, heart rhythm, and/or blood pressure, the tilt table results will confirm your condition.  The test offers an objective measure of your syncope-related symptoms and their severity.  This way, your health providers can increase their understanding of your medical conditions.  The tilt table test may help pinpoint your diagnosis or, if your diagnosis is already established, help show the extent to which your symptoms are debilitating.

If you are filing for long term disability, the tilt table test results will help your LTD insurance claim by providing objective medical data of your symptoms to your insurance company.

How can the tilt table test help my disability claim?

In the context of a long term disability claim, a positive tilt table test substantiates your symptoms (dizziness, fainting, fatigue, etc.) with indisputable testing results.  Symptoms such as these can be legitimately debilitating, but they are often challenging to document with objective measures.  That can be frustrating when it comes to a long term disability claim – you know your symptoms are real, but your insurance company may consider them self-reported and therefore “subjective.”  Insurance companies can be quick to write off subjective symptoms as unreliable and exaggerated.

A tilt table test provides your insurance company with objective medical evidence of your symptoms.  That makes the tilt table test a potentially crucial piece of proof in substantiating your long term disability claim.

What should I expect from the tilt table test?

Typically, the tilt table test follows these steps:

1. The evaluator will monitor your vitals—heartrate and blood pressure—before, during, and after the test.  This is done with electrode pads attached to your chest, a blood pressure cuff, and a finger pulse reader.  Additionally, an IV may be placed.
   
   
2. You will lie flat on the table in a stationary position.  The evaluator will monitor your vital readings from this position.  This gives the evaluator a baseline of your vitals for comparison.
   
   
3. The table will be angled until you are nearly upright.
   
   
4. From this position, the evaluator will monitor changes to your heartrate and blood pressure.
   
   
5. If you do not report any syncope-related symptoms (such as dizziness, nausea, etc.), the evaluator may administer medication (usually Isuprel or Nitroglycerin).  This will be administered through an IV or orally.  This medication triggers a nervous system response.  If you are given this medication, the evaluator will observe your vitals and record any changes.  You may experience side effects as a result.  If you do, report them to the evaluator.
   
   
6. After the medication portion of the testing, the evaluator will return the table to a horizontal position and conclude the test.

Throughout the tilt table test, you will be asked to remain as still as possible.  You will be questioned as to whether you are experiencing any symptoms.  You should answer honestly at all times.  If at any point you experience the onset of any symptoms, you should voice them to the evaluator, even if they have not yet asked.

Should the tilt table test trigger a fainting episode, the evaluator will immediately return you to a horizontal position and monitor your condition.

The tilt table test in an outpatient test.  Once the test concludes, you will be able to return home.

How can a long term disability attorney help with the tilt table test?

An experienced long term disability attorney can help you with the tilt table test before, during, and after.

Even before any testing is scheduled, a long term disability attorney can determine if the tilt table test will bolster your disability insurance claim.  By reviewing your medical records and taking into account the stage of your claim, an attorney can assess whether your insurance company will likely require the tilt table test results to approve your claim.

Secondly, a long term disability attorney can refer you to a trusted tilt table test evaluator and provide the evaluator with all of your relevant information (including medical records and job description).  This guarantees that the tilt table test evaluator is familiar with your diagnosis, symptoms, and background from the start.

After the tilt table test is conducted, a long term disability attorney can review the final report for accuracy.  If any information is incorrect, inconsistent, or incomplete, the attorney can work with the evaluator to modify the report.  The attorney can interpret the finalized tilt table test results to see whether they are supportive of your disability insurance claim. 

If the tilt table results are supportive, the attorney will make sure to highlight this evidence to your disability insurance company.  Otherwise, the attorney can recommend alternative testing options that may be appropriate for your condition, such as the Functional Capacity Test or Neuropsychological Evaluation.

The tilt table test may be a vital element of your long term disability claim.  A long term disability attorney can help determine if undergoing a tilt table test is the right move for you, and recommend other helpful testing options.

The attorneys and staff at Riemer Hess are well-versed in tilt table tests.  Contact an attorney at Riemer Hess today at (212) 297-0700 or click the button below to discuss how a tilt table test may help your long term disability claim.