Ear, Nose and Throat
Center

The throat is a ring-like muscular tube that extends from the back of the nasal cavity downward to the trachea (windpipe) and the esophagus (alimentary canal). The throat acts as the passageway for air, food, and liquid, and also helps in forming speech. The throat consists of the larynx, epiglottis, and tonsils and adenoids. The larynx, also known as the voice box, is a grouping of cartilage, muscles, and soft tissue which contains the vocal cords. The vocal cords are the upper opening into the windpipe (trachea), the passageway to the lungs. The epiglottis is a flap of soft tissue located just above the vocal cords. The epiglottis folds down over the vocal cords to prevent food and irritants from entering the lungs. The tonsils and adenoids are made up of lymph tissue and are located at the back and the sides of the mouth. They protect against infection, but generally have little purpose beyond childhood. The throat is the site of numerous troublesome infections which can affect the health of the entire body.