Managing the Pain of Head and Neck Cancer
Managing pain is an important part of your treatment and recovery from head and neck surgery. Because head and neck conditions often involve nerves, bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons, anything that affects one of these may affect others.
Pain can cause sleeplessness, depression and limitations on your ability to move - all of which can slow down your recovery.
It is important to manage your pain before it becomes too intense. Be sure to tell your doctor when you have pain and discuss ways to deal the pain. The sooner you treat pain, the less likely it is to get worse or cause other complications.
Call your doctor if:
- You are feeling down or blue, or have lost your pleasure in hobbies or activities you used to enjoy
- You can't sleep because of pain
