My husband Ron finished radiation treatment on this throat about 6 weeks ago. Halfway during treatment he had to have a trach put in because of severe bleeding and the trach stayed in until he was finished with the radiation. There is now a small indentation and scar where his trach was. We've noticed that over the last couple of days the front of his throat is puffy, right under his chin and down to where the trach scar is. I hate to sound mean, but it looks like he has a Turkey's neck right now. It doesn't hurt him, but he sure doesn't like it. He's telling me he's going to buy a bunch of turtle neck sweaters to hide it. Is this just a part of the healing process? I've read about other people experiencing a hardness in the neck, but haven't come across this one. He has been working more lately (more than he should in my opinion)and his job is physical, could that be part of the reason? Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this?

Thanks, Shelley

Shelley,

It is normal. It's called lymphodemia (spelling). It is the lymph fluid looking for a place to escape. The normal channels or pathways have been fried by the radiation.

I had it too. Massage, massage, massage. The lymph needs to find new pathways and massage is the only way to "teach" it how to find them.
I thought I was doomed to have a puffy turkey waddle the rest of my life but it really worked.

Thanks so much for the info! I'm also wondering if the puffiness is worse in the morning when he wakes up because the fluid was just sitting there all night. When you say massage, is there any special technique you use that works the best?

Thanks again,

Shelley

Shelley:
Down South here we call it "Bull Frog Throat", I've had it for a number of months.
Good info about the massage thing. Gives me an excuse to go see my massage therapist..
Darrell

It's intereting that you mentioned the puffiness under the chin. I just developed a slight swelling along with some redness. I am taking antibotics for it due to the redness, but am curious on the massage technique too. How long and how often do I massage it?

I see my surgeon next week for a 2 month checkup. Hopefully, it's only lymphodemia and I can massage it out.

Thanks,

David

It is called a lymphatic drainage massage technique and is used by many physical therapists. I tried it for a while and it helped. My ENT says it is common to have the puffiness under the chin for the rest of my life. I hope he is wrong and some of you have had it go away.

Ed

Shelley,

My Oncol set me up with a massage thearapist for lymphodemia and my insurance paid for 100%. It took three sessions for me to learn how to do it correctly. It is really easy and takes about 20 min a day. I dont need to do it every day any more as my lymph fluid has found and are using the "new pathways".

Happy and Safe,
Robert Hamilton

Hi Shelley, I still have puffiness in my left cheek (rad. neck dissection side), even after treatments for lymphodema. The neck scar is indented in one part and puffy in the other, guess that is forever. I LOVE turtleneck weather!!!God Bless, Carol

I also had puffiness under my chin for a long time after treatment -- and it was more so on one side than on the other, so I felt lopsided. It lasted so long that I assumed it would always be that way, but eventually (and very slowly) the swelling disappeared and I've ended up with a chin and neck that are thinner than they were pre-cancer.

Cathy

As I have said many times before, get yourself to a good physical therapist. Besides handling the problems that occur post neck dissection with arm weakness and massaging the scar to keep it from tightening up, they also handle post radiation problems from the accumulation of fluid under the chin. It may not go away altogether, but with proper massage, it should go down considerably, but will take a while. I think mine took a year.

Take care,
Eileen