Hi
My partner has finished his radiotherapy and chemotherapy 2 months ago for throat cancer. He has just started experiencing severe joint pain in his shoulders and also one side of his head/scalp is extremely painful to touch. He said the shoulder pain feels like arthritis. He's only 56. Online said a physiotherapist may be needed.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
Hi Fee,
Thanks for getting in touch and welcome to our online community.
People with cancer can experience pain for many different reasons. It is always especially difficult when this happens after treatment, at a time when all you want to focus on is recovery and rest.
It is important that your partner speaks to someone in his cancer team about this pain. This will allow them to assess, manage and monitor the pain going forward.
It may be linked to side effects of radiotherapy, which can be more severe when having both chemotherapy and radiotherapy together. Different types of painful side effects are mentioned on the above link including sore or sensitive skin. This could explain the pain to the scalp.
Another type of pain to consider is nerve pain. This is felt when pressure is placed on nerves or sometimes if they become damaged due to treatment. Perhaps after reading through the link on pain, your partner will have a better understanding of his pain. This will help with the discussion and assessment with his healthcare team.
If looking for additional support, he might consider joining our head and neck cancer forum online. This would allow him to share concerns with others in a similar position and perhaps feel supported and reassured.
If you have another questions, please don’t hesitate to get back in touch on this platform or by calling us on the support line.
Best wishes
Kirsty
Cancer Information Nurse Specialist
Our ref FY
