Oral cancer is a major health concern, especially if you smoke or drink alcohol regularly. While this disease has previously been associated with older people, more cases that involve young people are being diagnosed.
In many cases, surgery may be needed to help you recover, and while these procedures can be crucial in overcoming the disease, some side effects can also occur.
After Your Oral Cancer Surgery
Surgery is used in the treatment of oral cancer in order to remove the tumor or lymph nodes that may have been affected. After your surgery, you should be able to go home within only a couple of days, but you shouldn’t expect to feel like your old self immediately. In many cases, you may need several days or even weeks in order to fully recover from the surgical procedure, and you should keep these side effects in mind afterwards:
- Pain at the surgical site
- Swelling of the face
- Fatigue
- Difficulty talking, eating, and swallowing
- Weakness in raising your arm above your head
- Numbness in the ear
- Weakness in your lower lip
How Long Symptoms Last
If you experience any adverse symptoms after your surgery, you should be happy to know that the effects are only temporary. Your oral surgeon and his staff should explain what you can expect and how to manage your symptoms, and they will also help you to identify the signs of infection or other serious problem so that you can get help as soon as possible.
After your surgery, it is important to discuss with your doctors exactly what your oral surgery treatment plan will entail. Surgery is usually just the first of many steps in recovery, so it is important to know what will come next. By becoming an active participant in your treatment, you’ll improve your chances of a full recovery.
Please contact us if you have any questions about oral cancer.
