Rehabilitation & Follow-up Care
Follow-up: Periodic follow-up every 3-6 months for the first 5 years by a head and neck oncosurgeon is required.
What is head and neck cancer follow-up care?
Head and neck cancer rehabilitation comprises a broad array of therapies that helps in bringing back patients to a normal life. There are various therapy options available for patients to alleviate different issues including:
- Occupational Therapy: Occupational therapy helps patients to exercise routine activities, which may improve quality of life, such as eating, showering and dressing.
- Physical Therapy: A physical therapist designs specific exercise regime including motion and resistance exercises, which decrease fatigue and enhance physical functionality well-being and safety for patients.
- Prevention and Cure for Lymphedema: Lymphedema refers to a condition when excess lymphatic fluid stores in interstitial tissue causing swelling in nearby areas such as legs, arms and chest.
- Language and Speech Pathology: Some cancer patients develop multiple issues such as loss of voice, dry mouth, cognitive changes and difficulty in swallowing. To cure these problems therapists performs speech and language pathology.
How do you recover post head and neck cancer treatment?
Pain Management
Pain management helps patients at various stages of cancer, and therapists apply a range of modalities to control and cure pain. These include:
- Physical exercise
- Prescription medicines
- Nerve blocking therapy
- Implanted pain pumps
- Relaxation therapy and guided imagery
Nutrition Support
Cancer patients often experience gastrointestinal issues. Nutrition experts help to recover nutrition deficiencies a patient encountered during treatment.
A dietitian assesses patient’s profile and designs a diet that’s rich in protein, calories, mineral and vitamin. The dietitian will also look at your health history, disease type and treatment plan to recommend nourishing foods during your cancer care.
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