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# Caregivers
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Many friends, partners, and family of people with facial pain describe themselves as feeling helpless. It is important to understand that you will not be able to take the pain away, but there are ways you can help- your loved one and yourself- to cope with facial pain.
## **Information**
Because facial pain makes it difficult for patients to absorb all the medical advice, it is helpful to educate yourself about your loved one’s condition and its treatments. Being informed will also help you join your loved one in advocating for his or her care. Viewing webinars, reading articles, and participating in other educational opportunities are all ways to become a better supporter of your loved one. Pass information on to your loved one, but don’t insist he or she takes a specific action on this information. Consider joining a Caregivers group, such as the FPA friends and family virtual support group, to meet and learn from your peers.
## **Helpful actions**
There are practical ways you can help your loved one manage his or her care. Offer to make doctor appointments. Go with your loved one to doctor visits if possible and take notes- it can be difficult to remember accurately what is said during appointments. Think of ways to make basic living simpler; for example, purchase an inexpensive medicine organizer, offer to pick up medication at the pharmacy, or handle phone calls when pain makes it difficult for your loved one to talk.
Help your loved one find things that ease the pain- a soft scarf, a soothing playlist, a meditation podcast. Try not to get frustrated if these items don’t become useful, everyday tools. Encourage your loved one to become involved with projects, causes, or pleasant distractions such as a hobby. Volunteering makes people feel useful, needed, and welcome. It can be very empowering to put the facial pain experience to use by helping others.  Joining a religious, spiritual, or similar group can also be a shared, positive experience between caregiver and patient.
## **Take care of you**
One of the most challenging aspects of caregiving is managing the stress and frustration many caregivers experience. Chronic pain, as well as the medications prescribed for it, can cause changes in mood and cognitive abilities. This may be difficult for caregivers, and can make calm communication between caregiver and person with facial pain challenging. After a bout of frustration, it is natural to then be left feeling guilty. The best you can do as a caregiver is to help when and how you can, and to be understanding (towards both your loved one and yourself) when you cannot. Taking care of your own physical and mental health is important to relieve stress and avoid burnout.
We offer the following suggestions to help you as a caregiver take care of yourself:
* Take care of your own physical and mental health needs. You have probably heard this before: You can’t take care of someone else if you don’t take care of yourself. Be aware of your stress levels, take breaks, exercise, and talk to a friend. Only you know what works best for you.
* Ask for help! We all have our limitations, be aware of your strengths and abilities. When people offer to help, accept the offer – caregiving is definitely more than a one-person job.
* Be flexible. You will encounter situations where you may have to re-evaluate your needs and priorities. Things you did in the past may have to be looked at in new ways and new strategies developed to help you accomplish your tasks and manage your new responsibilities.
* Respite: Take some time off from your responsibilities as a caregiver. Plan time off and make any necessary arrangements in advance for someone to take over your caregiving responsibilities during your time away.
* Don’t isolate yourself. Connect with other caregivers who understand your frustrations and understand what people with facial pain go through. Join an  and Facebook Group. Call an .
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# Learn
## Browse Recent Articles
April 29, 2021
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Dr. Deborah Barrett offers a framework and tools to help people improve their quality of life, just as they are, while also reducing pain and suffering. Her work draws from empirically based cognitive and behavioral interventions, and she practices what she preaches every day.
April 15, 2021
Dr. Mark Linskey provides four key points about pediatric trigeminal neuralgia.
April 13, 2021
Facial pain affects you and those who love you. Learn to improve the quality of your relationships when you have face pain.
September 27, 2021
Can Hormones Affect Facial Pain? Some women experience a change in their facial pain at various points in their menstrual cycles, when taking or stopping hormonal methods of birth control, […]
August 5, 2021
Dr. Leesa Scott-Morrow will discuss anxiety in people with facial pain.This webinar will introduce the brain mechanisms that are involved in the experience of fear and anxiety, including discussion of […]
July 13, 2021
Dr. Gary Stanton explains how acupuncture can help manage TN pain.
July 1, 2021
Dr. Larry Arbeitman will answer: What is Upper Cervical Chiropractic? How does is differ from traditional Chiropractic methods? Learn about the connection between the Upper Cervical Spine and Facial Pain, research and case studies, what you can expect from UCC and how you can integrate it into your healthcare plan. You will also be able to ask Dr. Arbeitman your questions during this live presentation.
June 24, 2021
Dr. Julie Pilitsis discusses ways to get your pain to manageable levels.
May 14, 2021
Complementary health approaches, also referred to as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), integrative health therapies, and other terms, refers to a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, […]
Dr. Steven Chang of Stanford University Medical Center and FPA Medical Advisory Board member reviews radiation treatment options for neuropathic facial pain.
Jennifer M. Wagner, Executive Director of the Western Pain Society, explains the brain-body connection with an emphasis on pain response and provides a list of strategies for those affected by chronic pain.
Dr. Derek Steinbacher, Director of Craniofacial Surgery, Yale Medicine, Chief of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery and Dentistry, FPA Medical Advisory Board member, reviews migraines, TMJ disorders, and dental pain.
Two people affected by neuropathic facial pain discuss their experience using medical marijuana.
April 12, 2021
Dr. Ramesh Babu answers some common questions about botox for facial pain.
April 28, 2021
Worry about being able to afford your prescription medication while you are in pain adds to the frustration and fear for people with facial pain.
Medical disorders that affect the facial nerve may be the cause of your pain. Learn more about underlying conditions that cause face pain.
April 16, 2021
Neuromodulation can relieve various types of facial pain. Learn more about neuromodulation and whether it can help your face pain.
Prepare for facial pain flares and learn how to better avoid and deal with face pain flares when they happen.
Facial pain can be described in many words…but if you had to choose just one, what would it be? The YPC recently shared how we would describe TN in one word and how we plan to overcome TN.
Facial pain can create fears and doubts. Learn about taking control of your life with facial pain.
For many people with facial pain, weather can cause pain flares. Learn why weather can affect your facial pain and what you can do to minimize it.
Medical cannabis has become a useful tool in the toolbox for people with facial pain. Learn more about cannabis for face pain.
Mindfulness has increasingly gained attention over the past few decades, as it is gradually implemented in medical care, hospitals, schools, and businesses.
October 1, 2020
When severe facial pain is an emergency, this guidance will inform the doctors how to treat you.
Get tips on how to deal with pain in public, so that you can still enjoy yourself while out with family, friends, a significant other, or by yourself.
January 22, 2025
January 17, 2025
January 14, 2025
January 13, 2025
January 8, 2025
December 20, 2024
## View or Download the Patient Guide
Learn more about neuropathic facial pain, including how to get a diagnosis, treatments, and more by viewing or downloading our free patient guide.
By filling out the form below, you will receive a free FPA Patient Guide and periodic updates on the management and treatment of facial pain conditions. We do not share this information with any outside sources.
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 > Support FPA
# Support the Facial Pain Association
You make it possible for the FPA to continue to serve those affected by neuropathic facial pain. Your gifts enable us to provide support, education, and information to thousands of people with facial pain and their loved ones.
## **Give Today**
#### Donate online
#### Donate by phone
Call us Monday-Friday between 9:00am -5:00pm ET and we will help you with your donation information over the phone: **(800) 923-3608 or (352) 384-3600**.
#### Donate by Mail
Please mail your check, made out to the Facial Pain Association to:
Facial Pain Association
7778 McGinnis Ferry Road, #256
Suwanee, GA 30024
## Meeting You Where You Are
Support our mission to reach more people with facial pain on their path to accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
With your annual donation of $50 or more, you will receive the following:
* Hard copy of the *FPA Quarterly* journal mailed to you
* Email *Bulletin* containing FPA program updates, resources, and relevant articles
* Invitations to live webinars, meetings, and events
* Recognition in the FPA Annual Report
## Sustainers Circle
The Sustainer Circle is an incredible community of monthly givers who help ensure that FPA meets our mission of support, education, and advocacy of the facial pain community.
This opportunity allows you to set up automatic monthly donations.
* **It’s convenient.** No need to write checks and no payments to remember.
* **It’s flexible.** You decide how much you want your monthly gift to be.
* **It’s rewarding.** Watch your monthly gifts add up and make an impact. A monthly gift of $10, $20, $50 or more makes giving easy and often allows you to make a more generous gift to support the facial pain community by breaking it down into smaller increments.
To join the FPA Sustainers Circle, go to the online giving form and indicate that you want to make a monthly gift and designate the amount.
We gratefully recognize all donors who have joined the Sustainers Circle, having funds directly charged to their credit card or withdrawn from their bank account automatically each month. These donations provide a reliable source of funding that allows us to sustain the initiatives of the Facial Pain Association while spending fewer resources on fundraising.
## Legacy Society
**Your story. Your values. Leave a Legacy with the Facial Pain Association.**
The Facial Pain Association exists to serve all those affected by neuropathic facial pain. Our Legacy Society members are an instrumental group of supporters who have included a gift to FPA in their estate planning. Planned gifts ensure FPA continues to remain the premier resource for education, support, and advocacy for years to come. Extend your caring for the facial pain community beyond your lifetime by choosing to include the Facial Pain Association in your estate plan.
By including us in your will or living trust, naming us as a beneficiary under an individual retirement account, or otherwise including us in your estate plan, you will secure the future of the FPA mission and become a member of our Legacy Society. Please consult with your attorney about your options for charitable giving.
If you would like more information on joining the FPA Legacy Society, please call 800-923-3608 or email Brandi at .
## More Ways to Support FPA
#### Honorary and Memorial Tribute
There are special people in our lives we treasure. Increasingly, FPA supporters are making gifts in honor or in memory of such people. These thoughtful gifts are acknowledged with a special letter of thanks, are tax-deductible, and support FPA’s growing initiatives on behalf of people with neuropathic facial pain and their families.
#### Employer Matching
Many companies will match employee donations which can double or even triple your impact. Ask your HR representative or  to see if your employer participates.
#### Workplace Giving
Workplace Giving Campaigns give employees, their spouses, and retirees a convenient way to give to the Facial Pain Association through automatic payroll deduction. Check with your employer to find out how you can designate the FPA through your Workplace Giving Campaign. (FPA EIN#: 22-3071645).
#### PayPal Charitable Giving
**eBay for Charity:** You can support the Facial Pain Association by adding a donation when you buy an item on eBay, or by donating a percentage when you sell an item. Visit <
**Humble Bundle:** When you buy games or eBooks through the , you can choose to support the Facial Pain Association with every order.
#### Fundraise Your Way
Did you know that YOU can raise awareness of facial pain among your friends and family while raising money to support the facial pain community? Run a 5k, host a yard sale or car wash, make bracelets – you can show support and raise awareness any way you’d like!  to get started.
#### Fundraise on Facebook
You can support the Facial Pain Association by starting a Facebook Fundraiser (< sharing it on your Facebook page, and asking your friends and family for support.
#### Stream on Tiltify
You can raise funds and awareness while live streaming your favorite activity! Play a video game, share a special talent, and more. If you are interested in raising awareness and supporting people suffering from facial pain, select the Facial Pain Association as your intended charity on Tiltify (<
#### Donor Advised Funds
When you give, you want your charitable donations to be as effective as possible. Donor advised funds are the fastest-growing charitable giving vehicle in the United States because they are one of the easiest and most tax-advantageous ways to give to charity.
A donor advised fund (DAF) is like a charitable investment account, for the sole purpose of supporting charitable organizations you care about. When you contribute cash, securities, or other assets to a donor-advised fund, you are generally eligible to take an immediate tax deduction. Those funds can then be invested for tax-free growth; you recommend grants from your fund to virtually any IRS-qualified public charity, including FPA.
#### Stocks, Bonds, or Mutual Funds
A gift of appreciated securities such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds can be a great way to support our mission. When you transfer ownership of securities, you will receive a charitable deduction for the full market value and incur no capital gains tax subject to IRS deductible limitations. Please contact your financial advisor and FPA for more information.
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