Speech therapy intervention is crucial for patients undergoing chemotherapy, radiation treatment, or surgery. Our Speech Pathologists have dedicated the bulk of their careers to researching and treating swallowing, voice restoration, and cognitive rehabilitation for patients that are about to go through treatment, currently in treatment, or who have finished treatment for cancer. From decreased head and neck range of motion due to radiation, to severe fibrosis, scar bands, and reconstructive surgery complications, our SLPs are able to address patients’ needs with a well-rounded approach and unique skillset.
According to the American
Cancer Society, for years people with cancer have been frustrated by the
mental cloudiness they sometimes notice before, during, and after
cancer treatment. Even though its exact cause isn’t known, and it can
happen at any time when you have cancer, this mental fog is commonly
called chemo brain.
The sometimes vague yet distressing mental changes cancer patients notice are real, not imagined. They might last a short time, or they might go on for years. These changes can make people unable to go back to their school, work, or social activities, or make it so that it takes a lot of mental effort to do so. Chemo brain affects everyday life for many people with cancer.
Speech Therapy at Oncology Rehab includes the treatment of “chemo brain", including word-finding and memory difficulties that often come as a result of chemotherapy treatments.
The sometimes vague yet distressing mental changes cancer patients notice are real, not imagined. They might last a short time, or they might go on for years. These changes can make people unable to go back to their school, work, or social activities, or make it so that it takes a lot of mental effort to do so. Chemo brain affects everyday life for many people with cancer.
Speech Therapy at Oncology Rehab includes the treatment of “chemo brain", including word-finding and memory difficulties that often come as a result of chemotherapy treatments.
Our SLPs have had excellent success with swallowing rehabilitation outcomes with patients ranging from those who only undergo radiation, to surgical patients that have had invasive procedures. Prophylactic swallowing exercises to the head and neck alone, before and during radiation, have proven to decrease feeding tube dependence by 30% on some cases.
Simply put: "The goal of cancer prehabilitation is to prevent or lessen the severity of anticipated treatment-related problems that could lead to later disability. Cancer prehabilitation has many potential benefits. In addition to improved physical and psychological health outcomes for oncology patients, cancer prehabilitation can reduce morbidity, increase treatment options, prevent hospital readmissions, and lower both direct and indirect healthcare costs attributed to cancer treatment." - Julie Silver, MD
Simply put: "The goal of cancer prehabilitation is to prevent or lessen the severity of anticipated treatment-related problems that could lead to later disability. Cancer prehabilitation has many potential benefits. In addition to improved physical and psychological health outcomes for oncology patients, cancer prehabilitation can reduce morbidity, increase treatment options, prevent hospital readmissions, and lower both direct and indirect healthcare costs attributed to cancer treatment." - Julie Silver, MD