It takes medical and pharmacological expertise to give patients relief from pain – but it also takes empathy and understanding. Álvaro Rodríguez combines those skills and qualities every day in his role as a sales representative for Grünenthal in Almeria, Spain. He works side by side with healthcare professionals and scientific organisations to make a difference in people's lives. “I am a trusted partner for people who treat chronic pain, and our collaborations are much more than a business relationship,” he says. “We have a close bond, and we put the well-being of patients at the centre of everything we do.”

Álvaro joined Grünenthal in 2022 because he felt inspired by the unique opportunity to make a positive impact on pain patients. “Doctors know they can count on us to bring them solutions that are backed by compelling scientific evidence and reinforced by our deep commitment to people with chronic pain,” he says. “That recognition is no coincidence. It comes from many years of improving the lives of people who suffer from this disease.”

Training is a central element of Álvaro’s work. He provides insights into the latest developments in pain research and therapies to help healthcare professionals offer the best possible care. This includes training physicians and nurses, as well as other medical staff. “Pain is a unique field that touches so many specialisations,” he says. “That is why we have built support programmes and topic-specific training to share all of our knowledge with everybody involved in pain treatment.”

Grünenthal Spain also shares science-based and easy-to-understand information about pain via the online platform Dolor.com. It offers hundreds of pages of content about an expanding range of pain topics. Key resources include agendas for patients to follow-up and monitor their pain, as well as infographics with recommendations and pain management guides for chronic pain patients.

Álvaro regularly experiences emotional moments in the lives of pain patients. One recent example involved an elderly woman with debilitating chronic pain. She was suffering severe sleep deprivation and lived in a state of hopelessness – until she found relief from a Grünenthal treatment. “I saw her transform into a woman full of life and hope,” he says. “We relieved her physical pain and gave her a quality of life that she thought was lost forever.”

While Álvaro’s job is highly varied, his dedication to providing pain relief never changes. At Grünenthal, he is part of a global team with a shared vision of a World Free of Pain – and that vision inspires Álvaro’s interactions with healthcare professionals. “I am here to make a real difference,” he says. “It is not just my job. It is my passion. And it takes medical knowledge, pharmacological expertise, empathy and understanding to get life-changing results for pain patients.”

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