My husband had neck disection and has drooping of his lower lip on that side. His smile is very crooked and it is difficult to talk and avoid bitting his lower lip. He also is bitting his cheek when he eats. He has weakness of his arm on the same side. According to the surgical report they did not cut any nerves, but needed to stretch them to do the disection. The doctors feel the movement will come back in time. He was seen by a speech pathologist and physical therapist for exercises. Has anyone had these problems? How long before things turned around? Maybe it is too soon. The disection was June 27. He finished chemo, radiation of SCC base of tongue and his six week check they found thyroid cancer. So, since they needed to remove the thyroid they did the neck disection at the same time. It feels good to have this part behind us. What a long tough road it has been.

Dear DCS, After John's 1st neck disection, his jaw drooped, and after a peroid of time his right shoulder dropped about 2 inches. His right arm also lost strength. He lifted 5 lb. weights to regain that muscle, but his shoulder never bounced back. Radiation further aggrevated the situation. Ask about your husband doing some light exercises and give it some time. Amy in the Oz

I had a drooping lower lip, though I don't know if it was from the neck dissection or from my oral surgery. It gradually came back up, as my surgeon promised me it would, and though I can't form a perfect "o" you can't tell anytnng is different otherwise. My smile is straight now, and I was terribly worried about that at first. Be patient. I'll bet that it will greatly improve, and perhaps even come all the way back.

My neck dissection was done in May 2006. I had a very noticeable drooping lower lip, numbness all the way down my neck and up the side of my head, and a very weak left arm - at first I could not lift it out to the side and then up. My lip is fine now - I can even whistle again - although very softly and with effort! My arm is fine, but I did a lot of exercises every day to strengthen it, and still do. My Physical therapist gave me instructions for all exercises, although I only saw her in person while I was in the hospital.