Key points of strict care for nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients after radiotherapy

Radiotherapy is currently the main treatment for NPC, but many NPC patients will still be exposed to radiation for about a month after radiotherapy. Therefore, strict care during this period is the focus of NPC patients after radiotherapy.

Since radiotherapy can cause congestion and swelling of the nasopharyngeal mucosa after irradiation, patients often experience dry nasal mucosa, nasal congestion, increased and sticky nasal secretions, and severe cases may affect rest and sleep. You can use cod liver oil or compound peppermint oil to drip into your nose 3 to 4 times a day to protect the nasal mucosa.

Secondly, the skin in the radiation field should not be scrubbed with soap, rough towels or hot water. Avoid direct sunlight when going out. When peeling, do not tear or scratch with your hands.

After radiotherapy, it may cause dysfunction of the head, neck and mandibular joints, sometimes causing difficulty in opening the mouth and limited neck movement. In order to prevent these complications, during radiotherapy, you should do some appropriate exercises according to your physical condition, such as deep breathing, outdoor walking, and slow rotation of the neck back and forth. After radiotherapy, do mouth opening exercises, such as holding a small round plastic bottle or a smooth small log in your mouth, and massage the mandibular joints.

In terms of diet, you should avoid spicy and irritating foods, such as chili peppers, fried foods, etc. During radiotherapy, you can drink more water, such as American ginseng tea, carrot and water chestnut water, etc. American ginseng has the effect of clearing heat and replenishing qi. It can be sliced ​​and rinsed with water or used as an ingredient for soup.