Adam's apple

In which Adam's apple it is the thickening of a cartilage. Outwardly, it is particularly visible in men and moves while speaking or swallowing. In women, the enlargement can be felt.

What is the Adam's apple?

The Adam's apple is part of the thyroid cartilage. This is the largest cartilage in the neck. It stands out clearly, especially in men, and can be located in the middle of the neck. The expression to be differentiated between the sexes is due to puberty and the hormones involved. Male sex hormones are primarily responsible for the development of the Adam's apple.

Women also have a certain level of specific hormones. However, the level is lower than that of a man. As soon as the Adam's apple becomes increasingly clear in male development, the voice breaks at the same time. The basis for changing the voice is the position of the vocal cords. These are lengthened as soon as the Adam's apple changes its size.

Anatomy & structure

The Adam's apple ultimately represents a part of the larynx. It consists of cartilaginous tissue. The larynx itself separates the airways and windpipe. This way, food particles won't get into your lungs while you eat, which would lead to serious consequences. The epiglottis is responsible for closing the esophagus during swallowing. The front part of the larynx is made up of the thyroid cartilage.

The starting point of the vocal cords is also located here. With the help of vibrations caused by air currents, it is possible for humans to produce different sounds. During puberty, the larynx grows overall. This steps forward and forms the Adam's apple in men. The Adam's apple is thus one of the secondary sexual characteristics in male adolescents. Through their training, these signal sexual maturity and also allow a differentiation between men and women.

Function & tasks

The Adam's apple is responsible for changing the voice of men. By attaching the vocal cords to the cartilage, an enlargement of the larynx also affects the voice. Before the onset of puberty, the vocal cords are approximately 12 millimeters in length. If the cartilaginous part of the larynx grows, the vocal cords grow at the same time.

When completed, a length of approximately 2.2 centimeters can be measured. This doubles the range of the vocal cords. Based on this change, differences in the tone of the voice between children and adults can be determined: the sounds sound deeper as they get older. The growth of the vocal cords is not a smooth process. Instead, some vocal cords may take a little longer than others and are therefore initially shorter. Based on these differences in length, boys during puberty usually have a beeping sound in some situations.

The voice fluctuates between that of a child and that of a man. It is precisely this process that gives the voice break its name, because the voice "breaks" in literature. The Adam's apple is thus responsible for the change in the voice in men. Because the cartilage does not grow too much in women, the sounds spoken are usually much higher. Nevertheless, an Adam's apple sometimes also forms in female adolescents. However, this has no function and is increasingly viewed as a blemish. It can develop, for example, in the event of a hormonal disorder in which more male hormones are produced, as is the case with PCO syndrome.

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Diseases

Adam's apple diseases are diseases that affect the larynx as a whole. These include, for example, malformations and tumors. A tumor can make itself felt as a cancer of the larynx, which is more common in people who regularly consume tobacco. Larynx cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the neck area.

It can appear in different places. The majority of patients are over 50 years old and male. A tumor draws attention to itself, for example, through a change in voice. Those affected often clear their throats, have a chronic cough, or make harsh sounds. Patients also report difficulty swallowing and a foreign body sensation. In addition, inflammation can spread to the larynx. Such a phenomenon develops especially when there is an infection of the respiratory tract. In most cases, the pathogen is a virus.

The inflammation can be acute or chronic and should always be treated to avoid further consequences. Acute inflammation usually heals without causing any consequential damage. However, sparing the voice is essential for successful therapy. In addition to bacteria and viruses, the inflammation can be triggered by a mechanical stimulus. This occurs, for example, when the voice is used very intensively over a certain period of time. In particular, screams and loud talking cause irritation of the larynx and thus also of the Adam's apple.

If a severe swelling is observed below the Adam's apple, which has apparently developed for no reason and does not go away, there may be a disease of the thyroid gland, such as a goiter. This increases in size only slowly and is therefore often diagnosed relatively late.

Typical & common larynx diseases

• Laryngitis
• Throat cancer
• Larynx paralysis
• Epiglottitis (inflammation of the epiglottis)