Anatom3DPharynx
Pharynx · Hltan
Respiratory system
Looks like
A muscular funnel behind the nose and mouth, about 13 cm long, shared by air and food.
What it does
Carries air to the voice box and food to the gullet, and closes the airway as you swallow.
Keeping it well
Do not smoke; a sore throat over three weeks, or swallowing that catches, needs a look.
Its parts
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
- Tonsillitis & quinsy