 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,260 Likes: 3 | Over time the tissue hit with radiation can shrink, stiffen, and become fibrous. This includes shrinking of the throat area, jaw muscles and mouth area.
The way to help stave this off and maintain what you have is to do swallowing exercises religiously, yawning and stretching these muscles. And lots of water to help wash down your foods as you eat.
Hugs.
Cheryl : Irritation - 2004 BX: 6/2008 : Inflam. BX: 12/10, DX: 12/10 : SCC - LS tongue well dif. T2N1M0. 2/11 hemigloss + recon. : PND - 40 nodes - 39 clear. 3/11 - 5/11 IMRT 33 + cis x2, PEG 3/28/11 - 5/19/11 3 head, 2 chest scans - clear(fingers crossed) HPV-, No smoke, drink, or drugs, Vegan
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