Treatments for head and neck cancer can have side effects that impact your quality of life.

These may happen during treatment or much later, and can include problems like difficulty swallowing and speaking, fatigue, weakness, and pain. These may prevent you from returning to activities you enjoy such as exercise, work, or dining out (1).

Thankfully, rehabilitation can help you maximize your ability to do your important everyday activities (2). Exercise can decrease cancer related fatigue (3), and there are strategies to improve your ability to communicate. This website provides rehabilitation resources for South-Central Ontario in one place. You can search for a clinic and/or therapist in your area, or find rehabilitation materials and information for you or your therapist. Resources for other locations may be available in the future.

If you have comments about this website, questions about head and neck cancer rehabilitation, or suggestions of additional resources, please do not hesitate to contact us.

(1) Yabroff, K.R., Lawrence, W.F., Clauser, S., Davis, W.W., & Brown, M.L. (2004) Burden of Illness in Cancer Survivors: Findings From a Population-Based National Sample. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 96 (17), 1322-1330. doi:10.1093/jnci/djh255
(2) Canestraro, A., Nakhle, A., Stack, M., Strong, K. Wright, A., Beauchamp, M., Berg, K., & Brooks, D. (2013). Oncology Rehabilitation Provision and Practice Patterns across Canada. Physiotherapy Canada, 65(1), 94-102. doi:10.3138/ptc.2011-53
(3) Dimeo, F. C., (2001), Effects of exercise on cancer-related fatigue. Cancer, 92(6 Suppl), 1689–1693.
Overview of HNC Rehab