Tongue pain post radiation / chemo Help?

Bunnymom
Bunnymom Member Posts: 212 Member
edited December 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1

I finished radiation and chemo treatment September 5, 2014, left side tongue cancer. Mouth sores have healed and am doing well on that aspect. Both post scans have been clear. 

My issue is I now have tongue pain on the right side of my tongue. The ENT has checked me several times. No cancer or sores on the tongue, just pain. He thinks it's nerve damage and sent me to pain management. I'm wondering if the pain may be a side effect of radiation and or chemo? My right side wasn't treated so I'm wondering why I would have pain on this side? I suspect there was scatter from the radiation that may have effected my mouth causing the pain on my tongue. Also could be inflammation? I'm three months post treatment. Is it common to have inflammation three months post treatment? I also had surgery to remove the tumor on my tongue, but that was over a year ago.

It's quite painful so any help or feedback would be appreciated.

thanks to all and Happy Holidays!

Bunnymom

 

Comments

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #2
    Most likely it is from rads....

    all through treatment for for some time after (a year or maybe more), my tongue hurt when I got cold....sounds weird, but when I was truly cold my tongue ached like nobody's business.  As soon as I warmed up, it would quit. 

    I'm finding out that things keep improving even now....nearly 2 1/2 years out of treatment.....at 3 months out, I figured that I should be improving faster, but it definately is a slow process.  Nerve damage is the slowest to heal....my Onc told me how fast nerves heal...something like 1 mm a month.....that's very slow!

    p

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