I posted this in another forum but thought it might fit better here. My husband has trismus (difficulty opening his mouth) after having 100+ Gys over the last 18 months. It seems to be getting worse and he can no longer fit the mouth stretching device into his mouth (it is an Ora Stretch Press, and seems similar to a Therabite). It’s impacting his ability to eat and speak.

1. Does anyone have suggestions for what to do when the mouth stretching device won’t fit? I think I remember reading something about using tongue depressors, but can’t remember the details on how to use them. Is there anything else that we should consider besides tongue depressors?

2. Have you found a medical professional particularly helpful in addressing trismus? If so, what type?

Thank you!
Becky

Becky,

On the Oral Cancer Foundation Main Site, there is a rather detailed article on trismus. The link is here

https://oralcancerfoundation.org/complications/trismus/

I have so far not read about the experience of anyone who has had success being treated on this forum for trismus. I would strongly recommend that you bring your husband back to the radiation oncologist and ask him/her to refer you to the specialist. If you go to a comprehensive cancer centre, it’s likely that you will be referred to the dental department. My husband’s dentist at the hospital was the one who was most concerned about his jaw opening.