Stylopharyngeus

Looks like

A long thin muscle from a spike of bone under the ear (styloid process) down between the throat muscles into the throat wall.

What it does

Lifts and widens the throat and voice box during swallowing.

Keeping it well

The only muscle powered by the glossopharyngeal nerve; testing swallowing and gag reflex checks this nerve.

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