What should i expect after radiation therapy for head and neck cancer?

Dry mouth: Depending on the radiation field.. Dry mouth is very common, hoarseness, and tightening of the skin of the neck. Sometimes difficulty swallowing.

Many issues: Radiation therapy can give short-term and permanent side effects. Mouth sores, swallowing difficulties, pain, skin burns usually happen during and right after radiation nut get better over time. Permanent side effects include mouth dryness, swallowing difficulties, skin thickening, speech changes.

Dental problems also: The dry mouth increases the decay rate and the pattern is different from traditional caries as the decay is rapid onset, circumferential, and generally hard to treat with frequent recurrence. When teeth are extracted the bone may not heal and bone death and loss of jaw is possible. This is called osteoradionecrosis.

Radiation: Great question. Many people have redness of the skin, dry mouth and throat and problems with swallowing. It depends on the areas that are radiated. Hang in there with it. It usually gets better with time.