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Trismus (lock jaw) after Head & Neck cancer treatment: What helps?

Head & Neck Cancer | Last Active: Mar 1, 2023 | Replies (47)
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@vickie1320

Thank you Colleen, I will read them. John is continuing to eat and chew and swallow. He has a soar on his tongue that causes pain. We are learning how to prepare meals that don’t hurt. Thank you again, Vickie

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Replies to "Thank you Colleen, I will read them. John is continuing to eat and chew and swallow...."
clevyjam | @clevyjam | Aug 3, 2023

Hi there. I got a recurrence of salivary duct cancer in 2021. This was my second time doing radiation in the same area. I can open my mouth about 1 1/2 cm.
I can still eat and drink most things but have to be careful and only put a very small amount of food for each bite. So for example, to eat a hamburger I would have to deconstruct it and eat a piece of the roll and then a piece of the burger.

I do stretches each day with a device called (gentle jaw). It’s painful but if I don’t stretch then it’s worse as my jaw will spasm etc.

I have severe tinnitus but if I use a hearing aid then it’s a little better. I have very little hearing in my right ear.

I have no pain with eating anymore so tell your husband that it will get much easier after about 6 months. My taste is not 100% but it’s pretty decent.

Hang in there

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