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Cancer Care

Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano

Recovery and Rehabilitation for cancer, Cancer recovery at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano, changes in the way you speak 
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Fitness on the Go

Getting ready to go on vacation? Or always traveling for work? Follow these tips to keep your exercise program going.

Recovery 

Head and Neck Cancer Recovery 

Treatment for head cancer may change the way you speak, chew or eat. At Baylor Plano, our physical, occupational and speech therapists can help improve these essential daily functions. 

Distinguishing us from other facilities our size, we have a physical therapist who specializes in helping patients recover from major head and neck surgery. We focus on decreasing scar tissue buildup and helping with speech, nutrition and strength.  

Help with Daily Tasks

Surgery to remove a tumor may make simple tasks harder to do for awhile. If needed, your therapists can help you relearn how to chew or swallow food. They may also show you how to do muscle exercises for your neck or face. 

If you need help at home, our Nurse Navigator can refer you to home health nurses, health aides, and other community resources. 

Help with Speaking

If you had your larynx removed, it will change the way you speak. But you can learn to speak again. A speech pathologist can help you learn how to use one or more of the following: 

  • An electrolarnyx – a microphone-like device that you hold up to your throat when you want to talk
  • Esophageal speech – this creates speech using air forced up from your esophagus
  • Voice prosthesis – a special valve place inside your throat to help you speak 

Head and Neck Lymphedema Program

Head and neck lymphedema, which can result following surgery, radiation or chemotherapy, can interfere with a person’s ability to swallow, chew and communicate. While some facilities treat the limbs, they do not treat head and neck lymphedema. We do. 

At Baylor Plano, specially trained lymphedema therapists help with: 

  • Manual lymph drainage, a specific massage skill to stimulate the lymphatic system
  • Lifestyle recommendations
  • Warning signs
  • Referrals to suppliers of compression garments and Reid Sleeves 

Our lymphedema therapists also work in conjunction with speech therapy to help restore maximum use of oral motor skills. Their treatments can: 

  • Improve speech
  • Improve swallowing and chewing skills
  • Alleviate pain and depression
  • Improve cognitive skills 

Lymphedema and speech therapists also attend monthly SPOHNC meetings—Support for People with Oral, Head and Neck Cancer—to provide support and answer questions. 

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