Trismus is caused by damage to the muscles used for chewing. During surgery, trauma, or radiation therapy there is commonly secondary damage to the areas around the tumor site. As this damage heals, the body forms scar tissue at the site. As this scar tissue ages it becomes less flexible. These changes result in the limited jaw motion that is identified with trismus. The Christie Hospital NHS Trust in Manchester has recently published the results of 5 year’s clinical research looking into the use of the hand operated device which fits inside a patients’ mouth, Therabite® versus wooden spatulas in the improvement of Trismus, (any restriction of mouth opening), in head and neck cancer patients. They presented their findings to the British Association of Head and Neck oncologists in May 2016.
The aim of this study was to examine whether prophylactic jaw exercises using the Therabite® or wooden spatulas, (lollipop sticks stacked in a patients mouth), will relieve or prevent tightening of the jaw following radiotherapy. All patients had some sense of jaw tightening prior to the study. Measurements of jaw opening were taken pre and post radiotherapy. Compliance with the daily exercise regime, quality of life and health economics were addressed in this study. 37 patients used the Therabite® and 34 the wooden spatulas.
Results showed that mouth openings had increased on average in both groups following the exercise intervention, proving that exercises with either wooden spatulas or Therabite® can help to maintain and increase mouth opening through radiotherapy treatment and beyond. Without exercises the mouth opening would most likely decrease.
Click on the link to the right to see the full Trismus Study by the Christie Hospital NHS Trust