How Does the Human Voice Box Work?

Where is the Larynx

The medical term for the human voice box is the larynx. The larynx is located at the top of the windpipe. The larynx is bigger in males than it is in females, which attributes to the deeper voice in males. You can feel your larynx vibrating by placing your hand on your throat and humming.

How the Larynx Works

When a person inhales and exhales, air quietly goes through the larynx. The larynx does not make noise unless the vocal cords vibrate. When a person inhales and exhales, air quietly goes through the larynx. The larynx does not make noise unless the vocal cords vibrate. Vocal cords are muscles that are located inside the larynx. The larynx has two vocal cords. When a person speaks or makes a noise, the vocal cords vibrate as the person exhales and thus makes a noise. The longer the vocal stretch, the more different the noise sounds. A person can control the pitch of their voice, by making the vocal cords stretch at different lengths. A person does not conciously think about stretching his vocal cords when he speaks. Controlling vocal cords and changing the pitch of one's voice is learned as an infant. The noise made by the larynx combined with the shape of a persons mouth gives each person a unique sounding voice. The way a person moves her mouth, tongue and lips, changes the way the noise from her larynx will sound.

Voice Changes

Throughout a person's life, the sound of his voice may change. The voice of a child will deepen as he grows older, due to their larynx increasing in size. Changes in facial shape, also changes the sound of one's voice. Losing or gaining teeth can change the sound of a persons' voice.

Larynx Health

There are many different things that can contribute to changes in the sound of a persons' voice. Some causes are relatively harmless and others are more serious. If a person overuses her voice, she can strain her larynx. A strained larynx may feel sore and may cause the voice to temporarily sound different. Warm tea and rest can help a strained larynx to feel better. Smoking can temporarily or permanently change the sound of the voice, as can throat infections and viruses. Growths on the larynx or the throat can cause voice changes. Throat cancer, a serious condition, can also change the sound of the voice. If the larynx is sore or painful for more than a few days, a doctor should be consulted.