I hope it is ok to "copy" and "paste" from this site. If not, the moderators will edit -- but, the link will remain and you can find the info for yourself.

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/disabi...etal-Adult.htm

Here is the part about PAIN that I think is relevant to John:

d. Pain or other symptoms. Pain or other symptoms may be an important factor contributing to functional loss. In order for pain or other symptoms to be found to affect an individual's ability to perform basic work activities, medical signs or laboratory findings must show the existence of a medically determinable impairment(s) that could reasonably be expected to produce the pain or other symptoms. The musculoskeletal listings that include pain or other symptoms among their criteria also include criteria for limitations in functioning as a result of the listed impairment, including limitations caused by pain. It is, therefore, important to evaluate the intensity and persistence of such pain or other symptoms carefully in order to determine their impact on the individual's functioning under these listings. See also §§ 404.1525(f) and 404.1529 of this part, and §§ 416.925(f) and 416.929 of part 416 of this chapter.

There is SO MUCH info in this musculoskeletal system section of the Adult Impairments. If you have a compassionate and willing doctor, you might want to run a copy of the WHOLE THING (several pages long) and take it to him/her. He/she might be able to make sense of the medical jargon AND see which of the tests have been run -- and whether or not John has already "qualified". SOMEBODY just needs to MAKE SURE that it is SPELLED out CLEARLY in John's medical records IF he DOES meet the qualifications!! So many people are denied BECAUSE the words do not "fit"!