Helping Caregivers Coping With Neuropathy

​As a pharmacist or convenient care clinician, you have many daily interactions with people caring for loved ones with neuropathy. Caretakers may range from spouses to children and friends of individuals who require extra help with their daily routine. Currently, one in three adults in the United States acts as informal caretakers, often providing care for individuals suffering from peripheral neuropathy. 

Here's how you can assist caregivers coping with neuropathy by providing them with valuable resources and information about the proven NeuropaCalm Care Program. ​

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How to Help Caregivers Coping With Neuropathy

Many people fill the role of caretakers. They may care for an aging relative, disabled child, or ill spouse without ever identifying as a caretaker. And many deal specifically with patients suffering from neuropathy. There’s no immunity from caregiver stress, even for those who hesitate to acknowledge the role. The presence of neuropathy increases the burden. 

More than 20 million people in America suffer from some form of neuropathy. But this figure remains very conservative because the condition often goes undiagnosed. Why does this happen? Because of the complex variety of symptoms that accompany the disorder. 

All told, researchers have identified more than 100 types of peripheral neuropathy. Each version comes with a unique prognosis and set of symptoms. What’s more, the impacts of neuropathy may express themselves differently from patient to patient, depending on the nerves involved (e.g., autonomic, motor, or sensory). For these reasons, caregivers stand to benefit significantly from the resources and knowledge your facility can provide them. ​

Addressing the Pain of Neuropathy

One of the most psychologically devastating parts of caretaking is watching a loved one suffer. Sadly, when left unaddressed, peripheral neuropathy can lead to near-constant discomfort, loss of function, and even amputation. It commonly manifests in patients with diabetes, and symptoms can range from annoying to excruciating. They may include:

• Prickling, tingling, and numbness in the hands and feet
• Pain described as burning, throbbing, or sharp
• Increased fall risk and lack of coordination
• Muscle weakness
• Pain completing daily activities (e.g., walking, standing, sitting)
• Heat intolerance
• Paralysis 
• Extreme sensitivity to touch
• Inability to sweat or excessive sweating
• Blood pressure changes often experienced as lightheadedness or dizziness
• Problems with digestion, the bowels, or bladder
• Difficulty sleeping

As a pharmacist or clinician, it’s essential to ask yourself: Are the caretakers walking through my facility’s doors equipped with the knowledge to look for these symptoms? In many instances, you’ll find they aren’t. But you can act as a resource, helping them recognize the signs of peripheral neuropathy in loved ones so they can take effective steps to manage symptoms. 

Recognizing the problem helps caretakers take the proper steps to mitigate the condition’s discomfort and pain. After all, there are many proactive ways to manage symptoms, including healthy eating and regular exercise​. Caretakers should also check their loved one’s feet daily for signs of calluses, blisters, and cuts. 

Massaging hands and feet regularly stimulates nerves and improves circulation. For some, massage may act as a temporary pain reliever, too. Loose-fitting cotton socks and soft, padded shoes can prevent discomfort and injuries. Coupled with the NeuropaCalm Care Program, these strategies provide caregivers with effective ways of managing peripheral neuropathy and relieving its symptoms. ​

​How to Cope With Neuropathy

Caretakers often have an overwhelming number of things on their plates. Many belong to the so-called sandwich generation, which means they’re caring for elderly relatives and young children simultaneously. It’s easy to see why caregiver burnout happens, especially when balancing work-life challenges on top of everything else. Your facility plays a vital role in their lives, so you are ideally positioned to make a difference. 

Where to start? Caregivers come through the doors of your facility every day. Ensure they have the resources needed to identify what peripheral neuropathy is. They should also understand how it impacts their loved ones and the care they provide. 

Fortunately, raising awareness about neuropathy and its management has never been easier. NeuropaCalm is the leader in peripheral neuropathy management. We will help you make a difference, and it starts with reaching out to caregivers. ​

Make a Difference in Your Customers’ Lives

You entered the medical industry to make a difference in people’s lives. But some opportunities come with greater impacts than others. Peripheral neuropathy often gets overlooked when diagnosing patients, and until recently, there was a lack of effective treatment options. 

As a result, many patients and caregivers feel hopeless when dealing with the pain and discomfort of neuropathy. Fortunately, it no longer has to be this way. We work directly with pharmacies and clinics to offer our Care Program to your customers. We also provide facilities like yours with educational and marketing resources to get the word out to caretakers about neuropathy mitigation. 

Best of all, the NeuropaCalm Care Program is affordable, convenient, and highly effective for managing the pain and discomfort of neuropathy. Schedule a call today to learn more about how you can bring NeuropaCalm to your facility.