Webster's New World Medical Dictionary

laryngitis, reflux
Inflammation of the larynx
(voice box) caused by stomach acid backing up into
the esophagus. Reflux laryngitis is associated with
chronic hoarseness and symptoms of esophageal
irritation such as heartburn, chest pain, asthma, or
the feeling of a foreign body in the throat (the
globus phenomenon). This can lead to chronic
throat clearing, difficulty swallowing, cough, spasms
of the vocal cords, and growths on the vocal cords
(granulomas). Reflux also increases the risk of can-
cer of the esophagus and larynx. See also 
reflux
.
laryngomalacia
An abnormally soft, floppy lar-
ynx (voice box).
laryngoscope
A flexible, lighted tube that is used
to examine the inside of the larynx (voice box).
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laryngoscope
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laryngoscopy
Examination of the larynx (voice
box), either with a mirror (indirect laryngoscopy)
or with a laryngoscope (direct laryngoscopy).
larynx
A tube-shaped organ in the neck that con-
tains the vocal cords. The larynx is about 5 cm (2
in.) long. It is part of the respiratory system and is
located between the pharynx and the trachea.
Humans use the larynx to breathe, talk, and swal-
low. Its outer wall of cartilage forms the area of the
front of the neck referred to as the Adam’s apple.
The vocal cords, two bands of muscle, form a V
inside the larynx. Each time a person inhales, air
goes into the nose or mouth, then through the lar-
ynx, down the trachea, and into the lungs. When a
person exhales, the air goes the other way. The vocal
cords are relaxed during breathing, and air moves
through the space between them without making
any sound. The vocal cords tighten up and move
closer together for speech. Air from the lungs is
forced between them and makes them vibrate, pro-
ducing the sound of a voice. The openings of the
esophagus and the larynx are very close together in
the throat. When a person swallows, a flap called
the epiglottis moves down over the larynx to keep
food out of the windpipe. Also known as voice box.