Different cancer which causes some serious effects on your head and neck area is referred to as head and neck cancer. If you start witnessing symptoms such as persistent soreness in your throat you must visit the best cancer surgeon in Siliguri and get yourself checked if your condition is from a head or neck cancer. By an initial diagnosis, the risk of your cancer will be reduced greatly.
You may suffer from a series of side effects during and after your head and neck cancer treatment. These symptoms can last for weeks or months and sometimes years during your entire survival period. Some of the common sides of head and neck cancer treatment include-
Problems in the Mouth
Sometimes due to the treatment of head and neck cancer it can lead to ulcers, changes in the saliva and mouth soreness. Due to these problems, you will find it very difficult to chew your food making you weak, less energy and fatigued.
The fatigue from cancer treatment does not go away simply through sleep or rest. You might continue to feel fatigued even after years of completion of your treatment making it extremely difficult for you to continue your daily activities.
Change in the Appetite, Smell and Taste
The sense of your smell and taste can be affected greatly after treatment in your neck and head area. These treatments can affect the functioning of your salivary gland which will also affect your flavours of the food.
However, it is very important to continue eating food to get proper nourishment. You consult with a cancer specialist in Siliguri about your eating problem as it is a very important issue.
Difficulty in Swallowing
Swallowing or chewing food requires the involvement of teeth, tongue, lips and muscles of the throat, jaws and mouth working properly together. This side effect can be either long-term or short term depending on your condition. Signs that show you are having difficulty swallowing your food include-
- Take a longer time to swallow or chew your food.
- Continuous choking and coughing while drinking or eating some food.
- Pain at the time of swallowing the food.
- Food sticking in the walls of your throat or mouth.
- Take a longer time to chew your food than other family members.
Change in Speech
After radiation therapy or surgery your ability to talk can be affected greatly. This is caused mainly due to side effects like irritation and swelling caused due to a laryngectomy or tracheostomy. You may notice that your speech has started to become slurred or your voice has suddenly changed.
Depending on the location of your cancer or its stage the extent of the side effects varies.
Changes in Breathing
Sometimes you might need to undergo tracheostomy for your cancer treatment which will cause some changes in your regular breathing.
Managing the Side Effects with the Suggestions of a Cancer Doctor in Siliguri
It can be difficult to undergo treatment for head and neck cancer both physically and emotionally. Side effects may occur during and after the treatment which may be temporary or permanent and needs continuous management for a good quality of life. Ways to manage some of the common side effects are-
Fatigue
- Plan your schedule and try to set some achievable goals and try them before you start getting very tired.
- Try to follow your regular schedule.
- Eat a well-balanced and healthy diet.
- Exercise regularly.
Mouth Problems
- Regularly rinse your mouth
- Suck some ice cubes
- Try to carry a water bottle with you all the time
- Chew some sugar-free gums
- Use a lip balm to help moisten your lips.
Change in Smell, Taste and Appetite
- Try to add some herbs to your food to make it extra flavourful.
- Go for food items which are full of flavour and fresh.
- Try some cold salad, meat, dessert or fruit if the smell of the food bothers you.
- Go to see a good dietician.
Getting diagnosed with head and neck cancer can be very emotionally challenging. You can get yourself treated by the best cancer surgeon in Siliguri to get relief from this disease. Although in some cases the treatment of head and neck cancer can lead to some side effects they can be easily managed with a good lifestyle habit.