Talking hurts

Yes
On occassions, I have over talked when I get into a conversation where I haven't seen someone for some time. The results of over talking are felt the following day. I haven't had any alcohol as I'm not a drinker or smoker, but even the alcohol in mouthwash hurts my throat, so I stay with Biotene mouthwash.

The fluids drain from our neck and shoulder from the natural gravity by being upright and walking around. Did you have a neck disection? if so, your lymphnode system may be backing up. When we over do anything that requires us to use our shoulders in exercise or work, the blood and lymphnode system flow to the area doing the work. If you have lymphnodes missing, it is like a 4 lane highway of traffic now funneling down to a single lane road and things back up in that area. Gentle massages on your face, neck and shoulders will help to move the fluids.

My Best to You and Everyone Here

Yep
Edema of the neck. My neck and tongue swell up, especially at night, when I am lying down. I get up in the morning with the throat of a toad and a big old tongue like a hound dog. Goes down after a while. Massage helps, but I still haven't figured out how to massage my tongue.

Deb

rozaroo said:

Edema!
When I asked my Oncologist if massage would help the edema of my throat he said no & to just sleep with my head propped up on a couple of pillow's. I am tempted to try it out any way!

Example
razaroo,

I'm no Doctor, but I try to use common sense in many things in life. I'm sure you Oncologist is wonderful, but I question " No ".

For example, lets say you have a piece of foam that you might use to wrap around a water pipe to help keep that pipe from freezing. It has a hole in the center and the size is 3/4 of an inch and the outside might be 1 1/4 lets say. Every thing is fine with the size as long as it is dry. Now, wet the foam with water and see what happens, it reacts like a sponge. The dimensions now change due to swelling from the water. The size inside is now smaller, and the outside swells as well.

Picture this as your throat and what would happen when we go to eat. We find that we have difficulty swallowing our food. Our throat's narrow, I know mine does when I have the lymphedema going on after some type of movement with my shoulders, say, racking leaves etc. The massage moves the fluid and it might take a day or so, but it helps. I'm not sure this is the solution for every problem, but I swear by it in my case at least.

The Oncologist is correct in the fact that we need to sleep in a elevated position to help eliminate some of the Edema. My wife bought me two different sized foam wedges to use during the night and I use the one that isn't too steep with one pillow now.

My Best to You and Everyone Here

Does for me
Talking hurts for me along with having any alcoholic drink, it burns and stings inside my mouth. It was hard to do the first 3-4 years post treatment. It did get better for the next 5 years but not a whole lot. Now the last 5 years each gets worse to the point I do not even try. Even beer and wine is worse. I know for me if something did not work I did not do it very often.

Posted earlier was using the shower and letting warm water to help. That was the biggest help I had for many years and now again the last couple. Another help for me in trying to keep my neck loose, steamed towels or wet towel with electric heating pad. A turtle neck has worked well every year when it cools down. I also do not use a ceiling fan when it is cooler than 75 degrees, it makes the cooler air and that leads to stiff neck. First thing up in bed i do stretching to loosen.

Everyone has choices, it's all about risk and reward.

John