![\"parts](\"https:\/\/healthool.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/parts-of-throat-anatomy.photo_.jpg\")
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Image 1 : The most basic parts of throat anatomy.
\nPicture Source : www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov<\/p>\n
Gross Anatomy of throat<\/h2>\n
There are two major sections of the throat they are the pharynx and the larynx. These structures are shaped in a ring or a muscular tube.<\/p>\n
![\"the](\"https:\/\/healthool.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/the-dark-like-at-the-front-edge-of-the-neck-which-shows-where-the-throat-isimage.jpg\")
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Picture 2 : The dark like at the front edge of the neck which shows where the throat is.
\nPicture Source : upload.wikimedia.org<\/p>\n
Pharynx: Covers both the airway and the entrance to the digestive tract.<\/h3>\n
The nasopharynx starts at the back of the nasal cavity and ends at the soft palate. It contains the uvula which is a small piece of skin and fatty tissue which hangs at the back of the throat. (4,5, 6<\/strong>)<\/sup><\/p>\n The oropharynx starts at the soft palate and ends at the hyoid bone. The oropharynx receives food bolus from the oral cavity through the oropharyngeal inlet. The inlet has palatoglossal muscles which create folds in the mucosa.<\/p>\n It also contains the vallecular or space between the base of the tongue and the epiglottis. Between the palatoglossal and palatopharyngeal folds of the oropharynx sit the palatine tonsils. The construction of food is done by the superior and middle pharyngeal constrictors.<\/p>\n These muscles have a mucous membrane covering them. This area also has a nerve which passes through it called the glossopharyngeal nerve. (1, 2, 5<\/strong>)<\/sup><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Image 5 : This image shows the dimensions of the muscle fibers in the esophagus. Figure 6 : This image was made using videofluoroscopy, It shows how the oropharyngeal area moves during a barium swallow test. The hypopharynx starts at the hyoid bone and ends at the upper esophageal sphincter. This area contains the epiglottis, the paired aryepiglottic folds, and the arytenoid cartilages.<\/p>\n The constricting muscles in this area are the middle and inferior constrictors which are also covered with an overlying mucous membrane.<\/p>\n Another important muscle in this area is the circumferential cricopharyngeus muscle which while resting is contracted and during swallowing it relaxes to let the food pass to the esophagus. (1, 2, 5<\/strong>)<\/sup><\/p>\n It is made up of many tissues such as cartilage muscle and other soft tissues.\u00a0 It contains the well-known folds which are called vocal cords. The vocal cords make a sound when air passes by them. These are not only for speech but also constrict to prevent choking or aspiration of food or objects into the trachea.<\/p>\n Image 8 : The folds that appear above the trachea called vocal folds or vocal cords. Epiglottis-<\/strong> This is the part that closes the airway during swallowing. It is simply a piece of cartilage that is behind the tongue and at the start of the larynx.\u00a0 (1, 2, 5<\/strong>)<\/sup><\/p>\n Picture 9 : The trachea is in comparison to the larynx and the lungs. In this one of its most important functions is to protect the airway. It has various subdivisions which are:<\/p>\n Supraglottis<\/strong> – starts at the epiglottis and goes to the vocal folds <\/p>\n Image 11 : The complicated muscles in the pharynx![\"the](\"https:\/\/healthool.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/the-nasopharynx-behind-the-oral-cavity-and-above-where-the-arrow-is-pointing-to-the-pharynx.picture.jpg\"){kind=icon}
Figure 3 : The nasopharynx behind the oral cavity and above where the arrow is pointing to the pharynx.
\nImage Source : www.healthhype.com<\/p>\n![\"a](\"https:\/\/healthool.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/a-very-clear-image-of-the-healthy-tissue-in-the-throat.photo_.jpg\"){kind=spacer}
\nPicture 4 : A very clear image of the healthy tissue in the throat.
\nImage Source : www.healthhype.com<\/p>\n![\"the](\"https:\/\/healthool.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/the-dimensions-of-the-muscle-fibers-in-the-esophagus.image_.jpg\")
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\nPhoto Source : www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov<\/p>\n![\"how](\"https:\/\/healthool.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/how-the-oropharyngeal-area-moves-during-a-barium-swallow-test.picture.jpg\")
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\nPicture Source : www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov<\/p>\n![\"the](\"https:\/\/healthool.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/the-structures-of-the-throat-for-a-child.photo_.jpg\")
Picture 7 : This diagram shows the structures of the throat for a child.
\nImage Source : www.chop.edu<\/p>\nThe larynx: It starts at the epiglottis and ends in the cricoid cartilage.<\/h3>\n
![\"the](\"https:\/\/healthool.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/the-folds-that-appear-above-the-trachea-called-vocal-folds-or-vocal-cords.image_.jpg\")
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\nPhoto Source c: www.mayoclinic.org<\/p>\n![\"the](\"https:\/\/healthool.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/the-trachea-is-in-comparison-to-the-larynx-and-the-lungs.picture.jpg\")
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\nImage Source : upload.wikimedia.org<\/p>\n
\nGlottis<\/strong> – starts at the level of the vocal folds
\nSubglottis –<\/strong> starts at the focal folds and goes to the corticoid cartilage. (1, 2<\/strong>)<\/sup><\/p>\n![\"the](\"https:\/\/healthool.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/the-intensity-of-the-muscular-makeup-of-the-throat.image_.jpg\")
\nFigure 10 : This image shows the intensity of the muscular makeup of the throat.
\nPhoto Source : img.medscapestatic.com<\/p>\n![\"the](\"https:\/\/healthool.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/the-complicated-muscles-in-the-pharynx.photo_.jpg\")
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\nPicture Source : www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov<\/p>\n