Hi
I am week 9 post chemoradiation for tonsil & lymph node cancer. I have a swollen wobbly area under my chin I think it is lymphodema. Could you advise on any exercises, massage etc that could help reduce & manage this please?
I have contacted my hospital for help but not received any response.
Thanks
Siân Cutler
Hi Sian
Thanks for getting in touch and welcome to the online community. I’m Kelly one of the Cancer Information Nurses. I’m sorry to hear that you are being troubled by these symptoms.
As we’re not directly involved with your care or have access to your medical records, we’re unable to assess or give specific advice about the best way to manage any symptoms.
These need to be reviewed by a healthcare professional who can physically examine you to understand better what is going on.
It’s common to have some swelling in your face and neck due to the effects of radiotherapy which can cause inflammation. This usually goes away within a few weeks but can last longer for some people.
As you mentioned swelling can also be a sign of lymphoedema. This can sometimes cause problems with swallowing or breathing due to the area it is affecting.
Although likely to be due to the treatment you had it’s important to rule out other causes such as blood clots. Although rare, they can sometimes develop in veins anywhere in the body. Symptoms of this would be swelling, pain and breathlessness which would require immediate help to rule out.
I’m aware that you have been struggling to get in touch with the hospital, but we recommend that you try to get back in touch with your consultant, named specialist nurse at the hospital or GP again today. They can assess what the cause of the swelling is due to and the best way to manage this. This could involve a referral to a specialist lymphoedema clinic if appropriate for advice on the best management techniques for you.
If you are still unable to speak to anyone, we would encourage you to get back in touch with the radiotherapy department where you had your treatment.
You can also get in touch with NHS 111. They have an out of hours GP service for advice if needed. Especially if the swelling gets worse before you can speak to someone or have trouble swallowing or breathing due to this.
I hope this helps. Please don’t hesitate to get back in touch if you have any further questions.
Best wishes
Kelly (Cancer Information Nurse Specialist)
You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email.
Ref/EB/KHar
