Opinion ID: 535303
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Subjective Allegations of Pain

Text: 9 Under Eighth Circuit law, an ALJ may not discredit allegations of pain merely because of a lack of objective evidence. Benson v. Heckler, 780 F.2d 16, 17 (8th Cir.1985). An ALJ may discredit subjective complaints of pain only if they are inconsistent with the record as a whole. Polaski v. Heckler, 739 F.2d 1320, 1322 (order), supplemented, 751 F.2d 943 (8th Cir.1984), vacated, 476 U.S. 1167, 106 S.Ct. 2885, 90 L.Ed.2d 974, adhered to on remand, 804 F.2d 456 (8th Cir.1986), cert. denied, 482 U.S. 927, 107 S.Ct. 3211, 96 L.Ed.2d 698 (1987). If an ALJ rejects a claimant's testimony regarding pain, he must make an express credibility determination detailing his reasons for discrediting the testimony. Lanning v. Heckler, 777 F.2d 1316, 1317 (8th Cir.1985). 10 The standard by which Eighth Circuit adjudicators must assess subjective complaints of pain in claims for Social Security benefits is set forth in Polaski v. Heckler, 739 F.2d at 1321-22. Polaski requires an ALJ to give full consideration to all evidence relating to subjective complaints, including the claimant's prior work record and observations by physicians and third parties regarding: the claimant's daily activities; duration, frequency, and intensity of pain; precipitating and aggravating factors; dosage, effectiveness, and side effects of medication; and functional restrictions. Id. at 1322. 11 The ALJ disbelieved Prince's allegations of pain because she did not take extensive pain medication or ha[ve] serious side effects from medication that she takes. The record shows, however, that at the time of both hearings, Prince daily took either Anaprox or Feldene, both of which are prescription analgesics. She also took aspirin and Tylenol for headaches and joint pain. Consequently, the record evidence does not support the ALJ's conclusion that Prince's allegations of pain were not credible because she did not take extensive pain medication. 12 Additionally, Prince's mother and cousin testified at both hearings that they frequently had observed her experiencing pain which they believed to be severe. When an ALJ fails to believe lay testimony about a claimant's allegations of pain, he should discuss the testimony specifically and make explicit credibility determinations. Smith v. Heckler, 735 F.2d 312, 317 (8th Cir.1984). Here, the ALJ failed to make such determinations, stating only that Prince's subjective complaints of pain were not fully credible in light of the total evidence of record. 13 The ALJ also cited Prince's failure to seek continuing medical treatment for her arthritic pain as a reason to discredit her subjective complaints. Prince testified, however, that in addition to taking prescription and nonprescription pain medication daily, she sees her treating physician at least once a month. Substantial evidence on the record therefore does not support the ALJ's conclusion that Prince had not sought continuing treatment for her arthritic pain. 14 The ALJ also found Prince's daily activities, which included housework, caring for her daughter, and walking two and a half blocks to her mother's house, to contradict her allegations of pain. The ALJ additionally found these daily activities to be probative of Prince's ability to perform sedentary work. Prince and her mother both testified, however, that she needed to stop and rest at least once or twice during her walk to her mother's. Prince also testified that her back pain is occasionally so severe that she cannot lie in bed and that she requires help in standing up from a seated position. Prince also stated that she sometimes cannot use her arms because of pain. 15 This court often has noted that an ability to do light housecleaning does not necessarily indicate an ability to perform gainful employment. See Easter v. Bowen, 867 F.2d 1128, 1130 (8th Cir.1989); Yawitz v. Weinberger, 498 F.2d 956, 960 (8th Cir.1974). We find no medical or nonmedical evidence in the record to support a conclusion that Prince is capable of performing sedentary work day in and day out, in the sometimes competitive and stressful conditions in which real people work in the real world. McCoy v. Schweiker, 683 F.2d 1138, 1147 (8th Cir.1982) (citation omitted). The ALJ therefore erred in concluding that Prince's daily activities disprove her disability. 1