It might take a bit of time to recover from surgery that is done for head and neck cancer. Largely depending on the type of operation, you have undergone, you might have some sort of physical changes that often affect your head or neck. Among them, some changes will gradually improve as your body recovers while some may cause some long-term or permanent damages or problems. However, in this blog, the best ENT surgeon at the Head and Neck Trauma Clinic, Kolkata has taken the initiative to let you know the 5 major postoperative complications of head and neck surgery.

1. Acute pain:

A majority of patients after head and neck surgery have some sort of pain or discomfort at least for some days and weeks while recovering. But this pain is absolutely manageable since your surgeon will surely explain how to deal with that pain during your recovery.

2. Numbness:

The head and neck surgery might even affect the sensation or feeling in your mouth, face, neck, or shoulders. Some of these areas may feel numb after surgery. However, the best ENT surgeon in Kolkata opines that this can happen if nerves get bruised during the surgical procedure. It might take several months for the nerves to heal completely and for normal sensation to come back like before.

3. Difficulty in swallowing:

Facing difficulty while chewing and swallowing after surgery is one of the most common complications that almost every patient goes through. If for you, chewing or swallowing is difficult, see your healthcare provider at the earliest. He or she will give you advice on foods that are easy to swallow and also share some tips for coping with shallowing or chewing problems.

4. Change in smell and taste:

Head and neck surgeries are known to affect the sense of smell and taste after surgery, though not everyone experiences this issue. This usually depends on the type of surgery you have gone through. The change in smell and taste might last for some days or weeks.

5. Difficulty in opening the mouth:

This operation might lead you to a stiff jaw or difficulty in opening up your mouth spontaneously. Generally, this problem occurs temporarily. Your surgeon will guide you in dealing with this problem by doing some facial exercises every day until it recovers completely.

Want to gather more information about head and neck surgery? Visit us at the Head and Neck Trauma Clinic, Kolkata.