Patients can consult the maxillofacial physiotherapist after or before cancer treatment (Chemotherapy, radiation, surgery).Physiotherapists will collaborate with your doctor and your oncologist.
Maxillofacial physiotherapy goals:
- Prevent side effects related to scars. After a cancer surgery or lymph node dissection, the scars are usually stiff, rigid and fibrotic. It affects the way you could move and use your joints (neck, jaws etc.). It will affect your function and quality of life.
- The TMJs (jaws): after radiotherapy, the muscles of the jaws become fibrotic, it is harder to move the jaw to the sides, forward and to open the mouth. It is very important to be able to open the mouth to allow dental care.
- Improve nerve’s function: when a nerve is cut during surgery, it is important to have softening of the surroundings tissues
- Improve lymphatic movements: faster reduction of swelling using Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD), compression garment. Therefore, there will be faster healing, less complications related to swelling.
