The management of trismus (restricted mouth opening) in head and neck cancer

Welcome to this introductory course on the management of trismus in head and neck cancer. 

In the UK, head and neck cancers are a significant health burden and their rates are rising. The aim of this module is to equip you with specialist background knowledge and foundational treatment principles, to support and effectively treat patients who present with trismus following a head and neck cancer diagnosis and treatment. The first half of the module will cover information on the background of head and neck cancer, followed by trismus-specific learning.

By the end of this module, you should be able to:
  • describe what head and neck cancer is 
  • recall the healthy anatomy of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
  • summarise the epidemiology of head and neck cancer in the UK
  • outline the process of diagnosis and treatment for patients with head and neck cancer
  • identify ways in which physiotherapists and speech and language therapists can assist in the assessment and treatment of trismus.
This module will take around 3 hours to complete.