Introduction:
Trismus is defined as reduced oral opening, or restricted range of motion of the mandible, or jaw due to any etiology (Santiago-Rosado & Lewison, 2021). Trismus can result from many different conditions including a) traumatic, b) infectious/inflammatory processes, c) congenital malformations, d) odontogenic causes, e) neurogenic, f) iatrogenic, and g) as a result of treatment for head and neck neoplasms (Santiago-Rosado & Lewison, 2021). The impact of trismus on function can be significant. Reduced oral opening can be associated with pain, affect speech intelligibility and non-verbal communication (e.g., facial expression), make it difficult to complete adequate oral care, change the ability to effectively masticate solid foods, and ultimately result in reduced oral intake to meet nutrition and hydration needs. The speech-language pathologist (SLP) is uniquely positioned to address the needs of individuals with trismus by engaging them in proactive/preventive care and to provide patient-centered and evidence-informed treatments to improve upon speech intelligibility, social communication, and swallowing.
The purpose of Part II of this resource is to provide the speech-language pathologist with an introduction to the most common treatment approaches and activities used to address trismus, specifically for individuals whose trismus is related to the treatment for head and neck cancers. The treatment of trismus typically requires additional training, particularly for device construction and manual therapy techniques. This resource is not intended to be a substitute for more formal training necessary to become competent in the provision of trismus rehabilitation.
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