Don't forget to do neck and shoulder exercises after laryngeal cancer surgery

For patients with advanced laryngeal cancer or those whose larynx is mostly invaded by tumors, total laryngectomy or partial laryngectomy is the main treatment. After laryngeal cancer surgery, patients can exercise appropriately to help them recover their physical strength. The amount of exercise should be increased gradually, and patients should not rush for results. Neck and shoulder function exercises are especially recommended.

After surgery, the neck and shoulder muscles are damaged, causing the patient to be reluctant to move more due to pain and discomfort, which leads to muscle atrophy and limited upper limb movement, affecting the quality of life. These complications can be avoided if functional exercises are performed as early as possible. Neck activities include forward bending, backward bending, left and right side bending, left and right rotation, etc.; shoulder joint functional exercises include six movements such as forward raising, backward extension, side raising, adduction, internal rotation and external rotation. Patients need to practice under the guidance of professionals to gradually restore the lost functions.

In addition, the recurrence and metastasis of laryngeal cancer often occur within two years after treatment. During this period, you must go to the hospital for regular checkups, which are generally done in the third, sixth, and twelfth months after discharge, and then every other year. Of course, if there is a lump in the neck, the swelling of the neck does not subside but worsens, breathing difficulties, coughing up blood, bad breath, etc., you should go to the hospital for a checkup at any time. The checkup includes palpation of the neck and chest X-ray.