Throat cancer can be treated using a variety of different means, and it will often require surgery. Depending on where the cancer is, this could be what is known as a laryngectomy (where all or part of the larynx is removed), or it could be more generalized. Whatever the outcome after seeing a specialist, there will be some recovery time, and there are some important things to know about how to be more comfortable throat cancer surgery. Read on to find out what they are so you can help yourself more quickly.
Emotions
Although you might initially think that it will be your physical health that needs to have attention paid to it, you must not forget your emotional health too. Being told that you have cancer and then having to have throat surgery is unpleasant and unusual, and not something that most people will be prepared for. This is even more true if the diagnosis and the surgery happen quickly one after the other, which might be the case if the specialist feels that action needs to be taken.
Emotions can be very confused during such a time. You might feel scared when you are diagnosed and then excited or happy when you are going to get the surgery. Afterwards, you might feel down again because you’re in pain or because you can see a scar, or even because you’re not sure whether or not the surgery has worked.
It’s a good idea to have someone to talk to so you can help your emotional state. Even if that person can do nothing physically to help you, if they are just there for you to vent your feelings, that can be helpful. Seeing a therapist can also be useful. Never let your emotions stay bottled up as you can easily develop other mental health problems such as depression and stress.
Physical Health
As well as taking care of your emotional health, it’s crucial to look after your physical health after surgery for throat cancer. No matter how complicated the surgery was or what had to be done, your throat is going to be sore for some time while the healing takes place. This will make eating difficult, but for a good recovery getting the vitamins and minerals you need is essential. Using SimplyThick to thicken up your liquid food is a great way to combat this problem. Liquifying food in a blender or using specially designed liquid food means you get all your nutrients, but it can be unsatisfying and might even cause you to have additional emotional problems. Making the food thicker will help make it more palatable.
If you have had your entire larynx removed, you will have been left with a stoma – a permanent hole in your throat that allows you to breathe. This will need special care to stop it from getting infected and to keep it clean and usable. The stoma must be cleaned at least once a day to prevent infection, and there are specialist nurses who can teach you how to do this properly.
