I have trismus. Can't open mouth. Any suggestions? Went to oral Surgeon and he said a myotomy is only solution. P.T will not work.

Tony

If you have been treated with radiation for oral cancer then your trismus may be very difficult to change. Some have found relief in using the dynasplint or therabite devices. It takes dedication to the use of those devices to see results. Ive had mixed review of them, it didnt work very much for me. So members have done PT with a small amount of success.

Best wishes!

Tony - welcome to the family. Did your trismus come on gradually or quickly. I ask because I had a minor amount of trismus, but was able to handle it via daily stretching of the jaw.

Were you able to have any effect on it by daily stretching

Another Tony

Agreed your jaw muscles are - muscles. Most people at an older age aren't able to do the splits. But with practice they eventually get to that point. Same premise for trismus. Physio is a tool you can't really do it forever in office as it's crazy expensive, but learning certain things to help improve stretch will overtime improve the situation. But it's all about diligence. I've been doing it daily since the beginning of treatment. Daily I stretch my jaw and mouth several times.
Hugs

My trismus came on gradually or I wasn't paying attention because of other health issues. I completed radiation for oral cancer (tongue and inside right cheek of my mouth) in November 2011, Almost 3 YEARS AGO. I knew I couldn't open my mouth very wide but I didn't worry about it and my ent surgeon didn't say anything other than "practice opening your mouth wide" without explaining.
This summer my mouth was getting harder to open. I need to cut my food into small pieces. I don't have any saliva (another issue due to radiation) and drink lots of water with meals.
I finally asked my surgeon about what he called "trismus" and he asked if I wanted therapy? Why the ..... didn't he offer it sooner?
I am now seeing a physical therapist who specializes in treating trismus and I use tongue blades and a couple of other stretching exercises. Has this worked for anyone or does the therabite work better? THANK YOU
My history includes 3 stage 1 cancers in my mouth and Non Hodgkins Lymphoma at the same time as the first tongue cancer (2009).
In addition I have had chemo for the Lymphoma, and hyperbaric oxygen treatments before and after teeth extractions.

Tony,

I still use my Dynasplint, but what has helped me the most is Botox shots I receive at MD Anderson (and hopefully soon UT Southwestern-as it is closer). Before the Botox i could only open my mouth 7cm. I receive the shots every 3 months,and have had two treatments. I can currently open to 22cm--not great but a heck of a lot better than 7cm. message me if you want more information. Best wishes.

I'm struggling with trismus too and don't have any answers. My teeth are breaking so I can't use the Popsicle method of stretching. I'm meant to do 7/7/7. That's stretching my mouth open with thumb and finger of other hand seven times for seven seconds seven times a day. I'm not doing it much because I keep on having dental problems that distract me. Excuses, excuses. I think my lackadaisical attitude is down to the trismus not worrying me much but causing concern to dentists and SLTs. If it was getting worse I think I would stretch like mad.

Did you have the three stage one cancers at the same time? You almost sound like me because I've had two different cancers and my oral cancer has manifested three times as T1N0M0. But my episodes were years apart.

My SLT says that even after corrective surgery for trismus you have to stretch, so get used to it:)

Hope you find some solutions.

it will get worse. Do what you can now. once gone it is very hard to get back. I hear you on the dental issues. And I know that no matter what we do it's likely going to happen somewhere along the way. However - you determine to what degree on some level. Diligence is the key - brush after every meal, floss, use your flouride trays, see the dentist regularly, avoid sweets. you will minimize the damage. hugs