Phyllis Y. Black appeals the district court's 1 judgment affirming the denial of her application for social security disability benefits. We affirm.
I.
Phyllis Y. Black is a forty-nine-year-old woman who earned a high school degree and attended
Y%
years of college. Her past relevant work includes experience as a receptionist, word processing secretary, statistical word processor, and receptionist/inventory clerk. On December 17, 1993, Black filed applications for social security disability insurance benefits and supplemental security income. Alleging a disability onset date of December 31, 1992, Black claimed that she was unable to work, due to scoliosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, headaches, depression and a nervous condition.
2
The Social Security Administration denied her applications initially and again on reconsideration. Following a hearing, an administrative law judge (ALJ) found that Black was not disabled. Pursuant to regulatory guidelines promulgated at 20 C.F.R. § 416.920(a) — (f), the ALJ found that Black had not engaged in substantial gainful activity since December of 1992 and concluded that although she suffered from residuals from severe scoliosis and headaches, Black did not have an impairment or combination of impairments equivalent to a listed impairment. The ALJ further found that Black’s impairments did not prevent her from performing her past relevant work.
See Bowen v. Yuckert,
The Appeals Council denied Black’s request for further review, and she subsequently sought judicial review pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 405(g). The district court granted the Commissioner’s motion for summary judgment, finding that substantial evidence supported the Commissioner’s decision to deny Black’s benefits.
II.
We will uphold the Commissioner’s determinations if they are supported by substantial evidence on the record as a whole.
See Spradling v. Chater,
We first address Black’s argument that the ALJ failed to consider the opinion of her treating physician, Dr. G. Randall Gun-tharp, who wrote to the Social Security Administration urging that Black be granted disability benefits. Dr. Guntharp’s letter, characterizing Black’s scoliosis as “extreme,” stated that it was only after his urging that Black applied for benefits and that Black “is much more handicapped than many of the people presently receiving disability.” Black
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argues that the letter represented Dr. Gun-tharp’s opinion that she was disabled. She contends that the ALJ was compelled by our decision in
Prince v. Bowen,
The ALJ’s decision discussed the medical evaluations contained in Dr. Gun-tharp’s letter and noted relevant information from the doctor’s treatment notes. Although the ALJ apparently incorporated Dr. Gun-tharp’s findings into his decision, he did not specifically discredit the physician’s conclusions. Black, contending that the letter was an unequivocal statement of Dr. Guntharp’s opinion, alleges this was an error. Although required to develop the record fully and fairly, an ALJ is not required to discuss every piece of evidence submitted.
See Miller v. Shalala,
Black also argues that the ALJ improperly discredited her subjective complaints of pain. “As is true in many disability cases, there is no doubt that the claimant is experiencing pain; the real issue is how severe that pain is.”
Woolf,
Applying the
Polaski
directives, the ALJ examined the objective medical evidence of Black’s physiological impairments and the inconsistencies in Black’s claims and determined that Black’s subjective complaints of disabling pain lacked credibility. The ALJ observed that although Black complained of debilitating pain, she was still able at times to engage in many normal daily activities including household work, visiting friends, and attending church.
See Lawrence v. Chater,
Black claims that physical activity frequently precipitates and aggravates her severe pain. The ALJ cited Black’s daily activities as inconsistent with her assertions. It was for the ALJ to resolve any contradictory evidence of Black’s functional limitations.
See Bentley v. Shalala,
The objective medical evidence revealed scoliosis, spondylolisthesis,
4
and headaches. The ALJ correctly found that no diagnostic tests or objective medical findings existed to support Black’s carpal tunnel syndrome and psychological claims. Black was also getting some relief from her medications and physi
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cal therapy, while Dr. Guntharp’s records reveal a diminishing concern for her back problems.
See Marciniak v. Shalala,
Black’s lengthy work history supports her subjective complaints of disabling pain. As the ALJ found, however, offsetting this work history is the fact that (1) Black was laid off from her position, rather than forced out due to her condition,
see Browning v.
Sullivan,
Black contends that the ALJ improperly rejected the lay testimony of her parents. Black’s parents were not qualified to give an opinion regarding her capacity to work, however, and their testimony merely corroborated Black’s testimony regarding her activities. The ALJ, having properly discredited Black’s complaints of pain, was equally empowered to reject the cumulative testimony of her parents.
See Ostronski v. Chater,
Finally, Black argues that the ALJ’s determination that she can return to her past relevant work is not supported by substantial evidence. She contends that her work as a receptionist/inventory clerk is beyond her residual functional capacity for light work. Black’s past relevant work, however, includes her experience as a receptionist, a position classified as having sedentary work requirements.
See Dictionary of Occupational Titles,
§ 237.367-038 (4th ed. rev.1991);
see also Evans v. Shalala,
The judgment is affirmed.
Notes
. The Honorable Jerry W. Cavaneau, United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Arkansas, to whom the case was referred for final disposition by consent of the parties pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(c).
. Scoliosis is a lateral curvature of the spine. See The Sloane-Dorland Annotated Medical-Legal Dictionary, p. 471 (1992 Supp.). Carpal tunnel syndrome is "compression of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel, with pain and burning or tingling paresthesias in the fingers and hand, sometimes extending to the elbow.” Id. at 501.
. The record reflects that Black’s medication protocol included muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatory drugs. Of the several other prescribed medications that Black lists, some were recommended for unrelated conditions such as sinus and chest ailments.
. Spondylolisthesis is the forward displacement of one vertebra over another. See The Sloanc-Dorland Annotated Medical-Legal Dictionary at 483.