What are the functions of the nasopharynx?

Nasopharynx: It is situated in the space between the back of the nose and soft palate. It is continuous with the nasal cavity and forms the upper part of the respiratory system. It plays an important role in transferring air from the nose to the larynx.

What are the three functions of the pharynx?

The pharynx, commonly called the throat, is a passageway that extends from the base of the skull to the level of the sixth cervical vertebra. It serves both the respiratory and digestive systems by receiving air from the nasal cavity and air, food, and water from the oral cavity.

How does the structure of the pharynx relate to its function?

Pharynx, (Greek: “throat”) cone-shaped passageway leading from the oral and nasal cavities in the head to the esophagus and larynx. The pharynx chamber serves both respiratory and digestive functions. Thick fibres of muscle and connective tissue attach the pharynx to the base of the skull and surrounding structures.

What blocks the nasopharynx during swallowing?

When you swallow, a flap called the epiglottis moves to block the entrance of food particles into your larynx and lungs. The muscles of the larynx pull upward to assist with this movement. They also tightly close during swallowing. That prevents food from entering your lungs.

Can be found in the nasopharynx?

The nasopharynx represents the most superior portion of the pharynx, bounded superiorly by the skull base and inferiorly by the soft palate. The nasopharynx connects the nasal cavity to the oropharynx and contains the Eustachian tube openings and adenoids.

What is your nasopharynx?

The upper part of the throat behind the nose. An opening on each side of the nasopharynx leads into the ear.

What opens into the nasopharynx?

The auditory tube, which connects the middle ear to the pharynx, opens into the nasopharynx at the pharyngeal opening of the auditory tube. The opening and closing of the auditory tubes serves to equalize the barometric pressure in the middle ear with that of the ambient atmosphere.

Can food get stuck in the nasopharynx?

nose. … palate, extends back into the nasopharynx, the nasal portion of the throat, and during swallowing is pressed upward, thus closing off the nasopharynx so that food is not lodged in the back of the nose.

How do you test for nasopharynx?

The doctor will examine your mouth, throat, ears and will use a small lighted mirror to examine your nasopharynx. The doctor will pass a thin flexible tube with a light at the end (flexible endoscope) into the nostril to look at the back of the nose. A local anesthetic spray might be used to numb your nose and throat.

What does the nasopharynx do?

The nasopharynx is the space above the soft palate at the back of the nose and connects the nose to the mouth, which allows a person to breathe through the nose. The soft palate separates the nasopharynx from the oropharynx, which sits just below the soft palate.

What is the function of the pharynx in the respiratory system?

The pharynx has a double function. It is a key part both for the digestive system and the respiratory system. When it comes to the respiratory system, the purpose of the pharynx is to allow the air that has been inhaled through the nasal cavity all the way down to the lungs, through the larynx and the windpipe.

What function does the oropharynx serve?

The oropharynx serves both the respiratory and digestive systems. The oropharynx is the critical region that joins the oral cavity and nasopharynx with the larynx and hypopharynx.

What is the function of the oropharynx?

The oropharynx extends from the back of the mouth and carries ingested food and drinks from the mouth into the esophagus. The laryngopharynx lies just behind the larynx (voice box) and is the lowermost part of the pharynx. It serves as a common passage for both food (into the esophagus) and air (into the larynx).