Rumination and Response - a Column by Ezekiel Lim

Ezekiel is caregiver to his mother-in-law, who has familial amyloid polyneuropathy. He holds a bachelor’s degree in strategic and organizational communications from Temple University and currently lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. When not writing, he’s skateboarding or hanging out with his wife, Maryann.

How to Manage Neuropathy Symptoms While Traveling

For caregivers of patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy, a great deal of planning is needed to ensure that local and long-distance travel is manageable. For long-distance travel, the pain associated with peripheral neuropathy may make it difficult to find suitable accommodations. As…

With Football Season Upon Us, Here Are Tips to Enjoy the Big Game

The arrival of fall brings a change in temperature, schedule, and pace. As schools reopen and morning commutes get busier, the season also brings the time-honored tradition of football to homes across the United States. As football season gets underway, caregivers of familial amyloid polyneuropathy patients must be aware…

Home Care for Peripheral Neuropathy Foot Pain

The peripheral symptoms associated with familial amyloid polyneuropathy include sensations in the feet that range from numbness to burning. Caregivers looking for ways to provide temporary relief from peripheral neuropathy foot pain might consider foot massage tools as an ancillary treatment. The benefits of using a foot massager Foot…

Responding to Weather Changes When Caring for Neuropathy Patients

Patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy may find that changes in seasons increase discomfort. Colder temperatures require layers of clothing that may bother someone with peripheral neuropathy symptoms. A change to hotter temperatures may cause increased discomfort to someone already experiencing burning sensations due to nerve damage. Caregivers can…

Questions to Ask When Caregivers Consider Relocating

Caregivers of familial amyloid polyneuropathy patients may find themselves in a tough situation when their jobs require them to move. Balancing a career with caregiving is a full-time job in and of itself. In cases like these, a timeshare caregiving situation with two or more caregivers is ideal. Following…

Massage Therapy May Relieve Neuropathy Symptoms

Pain associated with peripheral neuropathy symptoms can lead to serious health complications later in life. Advanced stages of neuropathy may be present when the patient’s feet become bluish and swollen. When left unaddressed, gangrene could set in; amputation could eventually be required. One way for caregivers to prevent further…

Peripheral Neuropathy Alternative Treatments

Caregivers of patients suffering from symptoms of familial amyloid polyneuropathy are familiar with the prescribed treatments for the disease. Medications such as Neurontin (gabapentin) address the disease’s symptoms from within, while topical treatments may provide temporary relief for nerve pain. Many treatments for peripheral neuropathy symptoms come…

Managing Stress and Anxiety in Neuropathy Patients

The stresses of everyday life weigh heavily on patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy. When faced with major external stressors, such as the diagnosis of a severe ailment in another family member, however, the stress and anxiety may be unbearable. Peripheral neuropathy symptoms…

Caregivers, Polyneuropathy, and Sun Exposure

Summer months can be difficult for patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy symptoms cause a great deal of discomfort, which may be exacerbated by hot temperatures and direct sunlight. As the patient’s limbs experience burning sensations, managing these symptoms in light of the summer heat may seem…