Primary Function of the Epiglottis
The epiglottis is a structure of the upper respiratory system, sitting atop the larynx (voice box or Adam's apple). If you have experienced food or drink "going down the wrong pipe," then you have experienced a function---or rather, a dysfunction---of the epiglottis.
Other People Are Reading
-
Anatomical Structure
-
The voice box or Adam's apple is very prominent in men. The epiglottis is a leaf-shaped piece of elastic cartilage with a "stem" base and rounded top, located in the upper airway above the larynx and directly behind the tongue. The stem attaches to cartilage that becomes the trachea or windpipe.
Physiological Function
-
Swallowing is a voluntary action. When you eat, your tongue moves the food bolus to the back of the mouth as you chew. As you swallow, the larynx moves upward, the epiglottis folds over the glottis (the opening of the larynx) and the food bolus slides past into the esophagus.
-
Purpose
-
Laughing while eating can interrupt the function of the epiglottis and cause choking. The only function of the epiglottis is to protect the larynx (and vocal cords within) and the lungs from foreign bodies. A foreign body is anything that does not belong. Food, drink, medication and toys are all foreign substances to the airway.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit xray of a scull image by alma_sacra from Fotolia.com important call image by Ivanna Buldakova from Fotolia.com eating a strawberry image by Frenk_Danielle Kaufmann from Fotolia.com eating an apple image by katja kodba from Fotolia.com
