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Does acupuncture help saliva glands damaged from radiation?

Head & Neck Cancer | Last Active: Apr 10 7:39pm | Replies (19)
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@phyllisg

My husband is recovering from Tors surgery for cancer of tonsils, base of tongue and back of throat. Plus removal of lymph nodes on right side. He is trying to relearn to swallow with great difficulty. Part of problem is foamy mucous which he spits out. He can't swallow it andcends up spitting in a cup. I've read that dry mouth causes foamy saliva. Anyone else had a similar experience and found any kind of relief? Thanks!

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Replies to "My husband is recovering from Tors surgery for cancer of tonsils, base of tongue and back..."
William Olsen, Volunteer Mentor | @hrhwilliam | Mar 13 11:37am

Hi @phyllisg and welcome to the Head and Neck group. It sounds like there was a lot of cancer going on there when you said tonsils plural and base of tongue, back of throat. It's going to be a struggle for a while, not forever but for a while. Gross as some of the things we have to deal with may seem, it's part of the healing process. It most likely will not last too long.
Dr. Robert Schuller wrote a book entitled Tough Times Never Last But Tough People Do. It aptly applies to what your husband is going through. Just take it one day at a time, or at times one morning, one afternoon, etc. Eventually the body repairs itself.
Let us see who recently has dealt with dry mouth. I personally carry a water bottle like a toddler. If he is having a lot of issues which brings you to wits end you can and should just start your own Discussion which will attract many more readers of the H&N group.
Was this Squamous Cell Cancer? If so was it HPV 16+ based? Any followup Chemo and/or radiation or maintenance drugs such as Keytruda?

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