Palatopharyngeus

Looks like

A long thin muscle from the soft palate down the side of the throat, forming the back arch behind the tonsil.

What it does

Pulls the throat up and shorter during swallowing and narrows the gap behind the palate.

Keeping it well

Powered by the vagus nerve. It is part of the tonsil bed; a one-sided throat swelling with fever and trouble opening the mouth needs urgent care.

Related conditions

• Bad breath (halitosis)
• Botulism
• Burning mouth syndrome
• Common cold
• Diphtheria
• Fibromyalgia
• Frailty & falls in older age
• Hand, foot and mouth disease
• Heat exhaustion & heatstroke
• Influenza
• Lichen planus
• Malnutrition & refeeding syndrome
• Mouth ulcers (aphthous stomatitis)
• Muscular dystrophy
• Obstructive sleep apnoea
• Pemphigus vulgaris
• Polymyalgia rheumatica
• Rhabdomyolysis
• Sarcoma
• Sarcopenia
• Scarlet fever
• Stevens–Johnson syndrome / toxic epidermal necrolysis
• Tetanus