Swallowing Rehabilitation Program for Head and Neck Tumor Patients

The swallowing rehabilitation program is a structured intervention designed to improveswallowing ability, mouth opening, and jaw mobility in patients with head and necktumors. It includes the Mendelsohn maneuver, effortful swallow, Masako technique, tonguestrengthening, and jaw range‐of‐motion and stretching exercises, performed as three setsof ten repetitions twice daily. The program is delivered across four phases (assessment,planning, implementation, and evaluation) over structured orientation, theoretical, andpractical sessions. Outcomes are assessed using the EAT‐10 (swallowing function) and theGothenburg Trismus Questionnaire 2 / GTQ2 (trismus severity), in addition to pain level,at baseline and 6 weeks after initiation of the program.