Head and Neck Cancer Services
This leaflet has been designed to give you and your family information about what to expect.
Radiotherapy treatment to your throat, or the areas surrounding, can cause changes in your voice, for example:
- Hoarse sound
- A deeper pitch
- Weak voice with low volume
- Breathy voice
- Loss of voice
These changes to your voice usually start mid-way through the treatment and may continue after the treatment has finished.
Some ways you can help your voice
Drink plenty of water, weak squash etc
Try steam-inhalation, but avoid menthol inhalations
Suck small sugar free sweets
Have times when you rest your voice
Try to avoid
Smoking
Smoky, dusty atmospheres
Alcohol (particularly spirits)
Caffeine drinks, for example, tea and coffee
Menthol based sweets, for example, Lockets or Soothers
Forced whispering – quiet talking is best
Throat clearing
Talking over loud background noise
The speech and language therapist
The speech and language therapist is available to help and provide advice at any stage of your treatment.
Individual appointments can be arranged as necessary. If you are having specific problems, please contact the team as per the details below.
Contact us
If you require further information please contact:
Speech and Language Therapist Team
- ENT Outpatients Department, Middlesbrough, TS4 3BW
Tel: 01642 854039 - Floor D, Darlington Memorial Hospital, Darlington, DL3 6HX
Tel: 01325 743152
Email: [email protected]
Patient experience
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust would like your feedback. If you wish to share your experience about your care and treatment or on behalf of a patient, please contact The Patient Experience Department who will advise you on how best to do this.
This service is based at The James Cook University Hospital but also covers the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, our community hospitals and community health services.
To ensure we meet your communication needs please inform the Patient Experience Department of any special requirements, for example; braille or large print.
T: 01642 835964
E: [email protected]