Fundamentally, our throat is a ring-like muscular tube that acts as a passageway: it supplies our bodies with air and transports anything we eat and drink down into our stomach. It is also a vital part of our anatomy that allows us to form speech.
It is made up of three important parts:
Larynx
Or, as we more commonly call it, the “voice box”. This part of the throat contains the vocal cords, so it is key to forming speech. It also acts as the passageway to the trachea (windpipe), where air is taken in and directed to the lungs.
Epiglottis
A small, leaf-shaped flap that helps make sure food doesn’t enter the windpipe and lungs, but is instead directed into the oesophagus. It stays open when we are breathing and closes over the windpipe when we swallow — automatically, without us even thinking about it.
Tonsils and adenoids
Situated at the back of our throat, they help protect us against infections in childhood. As we grow older, they usually become less important and, for some people, may be removed if they cause repeated problems.
All these parts work together to allow us to get through normal day-to-day life without a second thought. Yet our throats are anything but ordinary. Here are five facts that help show just how amazing they are:
- The throat is part of both the respiratory and digestive systems because it carries air and food.
- Your throat has built-in coordination that stops you inhaling your lunch — swallowing and breathing are carefully timed reflexes.
- Major nerves and blood vessels run through the neck and throat area, connecting the brain to the rest of the body.
- There is a small bone called the hyoid, and it’s the only bone in the body not connected to any other bone. It helps anchor the tongue and supports swallowing and speech.
- At the bottom, the pathway divides: one route leads air into the trachea and lungs, and the other sends food into the oesophagus and stomach.
