The Adam's apple depends on what. Large Adam's apple in men

Why do men have an Adam's apple, but women do not? Why is it needed and what is its role in the human body?

What is an Adam's apple?

Why do men have an Adam's apple on their necks? A protrusion in the throat area is present in all representatives of the stronger half of humanity. In some it is less pronounced, in others it is quite large.

What is an Adam's apple? The Adam's apple is a protrusion thyroid cartilage in the area of the larynx. Due to its structural features (it forms an acute angle), it is not only palpable under the skin, but also protrudes significantly above its level. Women also have this cartilage, but it is less pronounced and is masked by adipose tissue.

Adam's apple on the neck begins to appear in adolescence when a young man’s body undergoes hormonal changes. In this case, the configuration of the thyroid cartilage changes, which leads to a significant protrusion of the angle outward. The more testosterone is produced, the more noticeable the throat protrusion becomes.

Adam's apple (cartilage) plays important role in the functioning of the human body. Main meaning:

Support. Located on the thyroid cartilage endocrine glands- thyroid and parathyroid.
Structural. Combines some elements into one configuration - 2 parts of the thyroid cartilage, epiglottis and hyoid bone.
Voice-forming. Attached to Adam's apple vocal cords, which provide sound.
Protective. The gular protrusion is located in front of the trachea, protecting it from damage. The vocal cords are also covered. When eating, the Adam's apple blocks the airways to prevent food from accidentally entering the bronchi.

Big Adam's apple together with a change in voice timbre, it is a peculiar sign of puberty in a man.

Why does the Adam's apple hurt?

In some cases, the ridge on the neck may be painful. More often discomfort appear after injury or other mechanical impact on cartilage

But this does not always happen. IN certain situations If your Adam's apple hurts, this indicates the development of a serious pathology. It is also important to take into account other associated symptoms, since only in combination they have diagnostic value. The main causes of pain in the Adam's apple area:

Decreased production of hormones in the thyroid gland with subsequent development of hypothyroidism. Other signs present chronic fatigue, constipation and poor perception of cold and frost.
Hyperthyroidism. Develops due to increased synthesis of hormones thyroid gland. Clinical manifestations include rapid heartbeat, heavy sweating, nervousness, diarrhea.
Thyroiditis. The inflammatory process in the thyroid gland often occurs as a result of complications infectious diseases nearby organs. Most often, the development of the disease is provoked by pathologies of the upper respiratory tract. In addition to pain in the Adam's apple area, patients complain of signs of malaise due to severe intoxication of the body. Endocrine gland increases in size, which means the development of sepsis is possible.
Laryngitis. Pain in the Adam's apple occurs when the inflammatory process spreads from the larynx to the thyroid cartilage. The manifestations of laryngitis come to the fore: severe paroxysmal cough, swelling of the mucous membrane of the throat.
Fracture of the cartilaginous larynx. The main reason - traumatic injury. The pain is localized not only in the Adam's apple area, but also spreads to nearby areas. Patients complain about severe discomfort when breathing, swallowing and coughing.
Cancer and tuberculosis of the larynx. Pathological process with any of these diseases is widespread. At malignant formation the pain does not appear on initial stages development, and when the tumor increases significantly in size.
Riedel's thyroiditis. As a result of pronounced proliferation of thyroid tissue, compression occurs nerve endings and blood vessels.

If you experience pain in the Adam's apple area, you don't need to leave things to chance. This may be the first sign of a serious illness. Therefore, it is necessary to contact a specialist as soon as possible for examination and examination.

Instructions

According to biblical legend, male Adam's apple- This is a reminder of original sin on Adam's part. Tradition says that Adam the Forbidden fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, to eat it. But it was not there! The apple got stuck in his throat. Here “” is a symbol of sin.

First of all, it is worth noting that both women and women have an “Adam’s apple”. All statements regarding the supposed absence of an Adam's apple are incorrect. Their Adam's apple is surrounded by fat and is located in the center of the throat. That is why it is not as noticeable as .

Men have an “Adam’s apple” for one single reason: the male larynx contains longer ones than the female one. In addition, the change in the shape of the Adam's apple, as well as the transformation of the length of the vocal cords, is directly influenced by sex hormones. It is not difficult to guess that a protruding Adam's apple, in turn, affects the voice of men.

Under the influence of sex hormones, the Adam's apple enlarges, and their voice is noticeable. This happens at a certain adolescence. In other words, the “Adam's apple” is a secondary sexual characteristic in men, creating additional volume in the larynx to resonate their voice.

This leads to the appearance low frequencies in a man's voice. The young man's voice first breaks and then becomes low. However, this is not the case for all males. In some men it becomes high or sharp. But be that as it may, a protruding Adam's apple is an integral part male body.

Continuing the topic of secondary male sexual characteristics, it should be noted that the Adam’s apple is a clear indication of male gender. And there is no escape from this! If we talk about transvestites and transsexuals, then it is the Adam's apple that is the visible part that gives them away. Some representatives of trans culture even remove their Adam's apples surgically.

Removing the Adam's apple is a very risky step, as it can seriously harm your health. Since the Adam's apple greatly affects the low voice, it is mainly some transsexual men who resort to operations to remove it. Similar operations are carried out in large Russian cities, as well as in a number of European countries and Thailand.

The prominent protrusion of the larynx in men and completely invisible in women is called prominentia laryngea in Latin, that is, the Adam's apple or “Adam's apple.” By physiological reasons this part of the cartilage is more noticeable in the stronger sex than in girls.

The Adam's apple is formed when two plates of thyroid cartilage fuse. The vocal cords are much longer than, so the angle of their connection is more acute. The prominence of the larynx is therefore more pronounced. Although there are differences in the size of the Adam's apple among young people. In some, this part of the body protrudes far forward, resembling the keel of a ship, while in others, the fusion of cartilage occurs at an obtuse angle, so this Adam’s apple is more delicate.

Another reason that explains the fact that the cartilaginous protrusion of the larynx in women is less noticeable is the presence of a fatty layer. It is present in everyone, regardless of whether they have excess weight or not.

Sometimes some women experience a rather pronounced “”, usually in these cases there are other secondary

Why the Adam's apple protrudes in men and begins to appear in boys during adolescence often worries teenagers. But it happens that women also worry about a noticeable protrusion on the front surface of the neck. What is a man's Adam's apple and why is it needed? Why do men have an Adam's apple and women do not, and is it possible to remove the excess throat protrusion? Let's figure it out together.

Protrusion on the throat

The biblical legend says that the man's throat protrusion appeared at the moment when Adam choked on an apple stuck in his throat. In contrast to this, modern medicine states that the Adam's apple is a protrusion of the thyroid cartilage of the larynx. Its structure is such that the two cartilage plates covering the trachea are connected at an angle. This angle protrudes forward like a “bump” and can be easily felt under the skin.

Refuting the popular belief that women do not have an Adam's apple, doctors claim that it is also typical for women. Only in them it protrudes less, is covered with fatty tissue and is less noticeable than in men. During puberty, under the influence of testosterone in boys, the structure of the thyroid cartilage undergoes changes. Its angle becomes sharper, the structure of the cartilaginous tissue itself becomes more similar to bone, and the well-known “bump” appears on the guy’s neck.

Functions of the thyroid cartilage

We figured out what the protrusion on the neck is. But why does a man need an Adam’s apple? Modern medicine provides the answer.

Its main functions include:

Supporting – the thyroid and parathyroid glands.
Structural - the Adam's apple connects two plates of cartilage, the hyoid bone and the epiglottis.
Voice-forming – the vocal cords are attached to this structure.
Protective - covers the anterior surface of the trachea.

A large Adam's apple is a secondary sexual characteristic in men, because, in response to increased level testosterone, changes its structure and becomes protruding. This deformation in the Adam's apple contributes to a change in his voice: the guy has a low timbre that is attractive to women. So the “bump” protruding on guys’ necks is a necessary sexual attribute.

How to reduce the protrusion?

As a rule, neither guys nor boys think about how to remove the throat protrusion. This worries women who may have it in the background hormonal changes or significant weight loss, as well as transsexuals. They want the “bump” on their throat to disappear and their neck to take on a more feminine appearance.

Surgery to reduce the throat protrusion exists. It is called chondrolaryngoplasty and is a cosmetic surgery. That is, it is performed at the request of the patient, without a special referral from doctors. But you need to prepare for chondrolaryngoplasty as you would for any operation. Necessary:

Pass the general and biochemical analysis blood.
Consult a therapist and anesthesiologist.
Take an x-ray of the larynx.

IN simple version surgery will not change the tone of your voice. After all, in order to remove the baritone, it is necessary to change the entire voice apparatus. And this is a more complex operation.

Thus, all people have a throat protrusion. But in women and boys it is not visible. And in men, the Adam's apple is not just a lump, but an important sexual characteristic that additionally performs many functions. Therefore, men never have the thought of removing it.

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The Adam's apple is a protruding cartilage in the anterior wall of the larynx, consisting of 2 plates. In representatives of the stronger half of humanity, the angle located between the cartilaginous plates is not big size, therefore, it is noticeable that the Adam’s apple protrudes strongly forward, which means it protects the throat from various injuries. Many factors in the body of a male person affect the size of the Adam's apple, for example, in children or women the larynx is smooth, and a large Adam's apple in men depends on the physiological and anatomical characteristics of the person, the genetic predisposition of the man.

Many people don’t think about why men need an Adam’s apple; some believe that only males have an Adam’s apple. Misconceptions on this topic today there are quite a lot, the presence of an Adam’s apple is characteristic not only of men, female This feature of the larynx is also inherent.

Why do men have Adam's apple? Why is it needed? It is also called “Adam’s apple” - according to legend, it appeared in Adam when he tried the forbidden apple. A piece of this fruit got stuck in his throat, which is why this feature of the larynx, symbolizing original sin, was subsequently formed in all males. The “Adam's apple” gradually begins to form in boys from the age of 14, but there are also examples when women have a pronounced Adam’s apple.

There are operations to reduce the size of the Adam's apple, for example, chondrolaryngoplasty - usually it is often used by men who decide to change their gender.

A large Adam's apple in men, from an aesthetic point of view, does not suit many representatives of the stronger half of humanity; some men complain about painful sensations in the throat due to large protruding cartilage on the neck - removal of the Adam's apple can solve this problem.

Functionality of the Adam's apple

Why do you need an Adam's apple? He performs important functions in the body of male representatives:

Protective factor – the larynx is a vulnerable part human body, various nerve endings, vessels, organs are located here respiratory system, digestive tract, which are protected from external influence thin skin tissues. Therefore, the Adam's apple is a kind of protective device for the throat, it prevents it from being compressed, i.e. suffocation;
Voice formation - males have a lower and rougher voice than, for example, females. This feature associated with the process of tension of the ligaments, it is formed during puberty gradually with an increase in the Adam’s apple;
Preventing saliva from entering the respiratory system.

Adam's apple pathologies

A blow to the Adam's apple can cause negative consequences for men's health, like injuries can provoke death for a person. When a serious injury occurs, a signal is sent to the brain that activates the syncope reflex - the person falls into an unconscious state, myocardial contractions stop, and cardiac arrest occurs. That’s why it’s so important to prevent injuries in the Adam’s apple area.
Men often develop various pathologies which are associated with pain in the Adam's apple area:

Hyperthyroidism – increased production hormones in the thyroid gland. This process is characterized by increased sweating, tachycardia, diarrhea, and nervousness;
Hypothyroidism is decreased production of hormones. Characteristic signs this phenomenon - constipation, fatigue syndrome, cold intolerance;
Thyroiditis – given inflammatory process proceeds in normal or acute form. The causative agents are infectious phenomena in the respiratory tract. It is characterized by painful attacks in the Adam’s apple area, expansion of the thyroid gland, the occurrence of purulent neoplasms in the larynx;
Tuberculosis of the larynx, cancerous tumors– as tumor-like neoplasms increase, they will appear painful symptoms in the Adam's apple area, painful attacks are also possible when breathing, swallowing;
A fracture of the cartilaginous larynx is often the cause of pain. A blow to the Adam's apple can provoke this phenomenon, which will be characterized by difficulty breathing, painful sensations when swallowing or coughing;
Riedel's chronic fibrous thyroiditis - distinctive feature the process is the expansion of connective tissues near the “Adam's apple”, the thyroid gland enlarges, which causes pressure on the trachea and esophagus;
Laryngitis - occurs due to viral infectious phenomena, cold moments. It is an inflammatory process in the larynx. Characterized by painful attacks in the Adam's apple area, dry cough. Swelling of the mucous tissues of the larynx occurs, which causes compression of the throat.

Any patient complaint about pain in the “Adam’s apple” area should be examined in detail by a doctor, with a diagnosis of the disease and clarification of the diagnosis. It is strictly forbidden to self-medicate in this situation.

Surgical methods for changing the Adam's apple

Today there are surgical methods modifications of the “Adam’s apple”:

Complete removal of the Adam's apple - performed in situations where the removal of cartilage will not cause negative consequences for men's health. Subsequently, it provokes a change in vocal timbre. But these changes are irreversible - increasing cartilage after removal has already been done will be an impossible process;
Partial removal- performed by a doctor, if the possibility is not allowed complete removal Adam's apple. During the operation, the surgeon changes the angle of the cartilage plates, i.e. modifies the position of the Adam's apple with male type on the female form, as in the photo. The surgical intervention performed is less traumatic, but not always taking into account different circumstances it leads to a modification of the male voice.

Any way surgical intervention in the Adam's apple area, removal of the Adam's apple must be performed after thorough examination in the hospital. How much will this cost? operative method it is necessary to clarify this with a doctor at the place where the process is performed.

"Adam's apple" or male Adam's apple - reminds of the difference in gender characteristics in men and women. Adam's apple, scientific name"Prominentia Laryngea" is a cartilaginous formation around the larynx by the plates of the thyroid gland. Here are a few simple questions which are often asked about this anatomical detail.

Why is the Adam's apple called Adam's apple?

Following the biblical parable, the first man on Earth, Adam, ate the fruit of paradise, which was forbidden. It was for this heavenly pleasure that Adam was punished: he choked on an apple, and it was stuck in his throat forever in the form of an Adam's apple.

Why do men need an Adam's apple?

The main function of the Adam's apple is to protect the larynx, thyroid gland and vocal cartilages. If you receive a sharp blow to the throat or become a victim of forceful loads on the throat or neck, then a fused vocal “bump” will save your life and prevent injury. The Adam's apple affects a person's voice. The larger the Adam's apple, the lower the voice. Interestingly, during a series of operations to change gender to female, a man's Adam's apple is removed. Thanks to this, the new woman develops more high voice, which is perceived by others as feminine. Based on this, we can quite confidently say that the Adam’s apple is an indispensable attribute of masculinity, clearly indicating the gender of an individual. The Adam's apple is not involved in the production of the male hormone testosterone, but during puberty it is formed under the influence of testosterone.

Is it true that the larger a man’s Adam’s apple, the sexier he is?

No, although such a hypothesis did exist. However, studies have proven that the level of testosterone in the blood of men does not depend on the size of the Adam's apple. Why some men have a large Adam’s apple, while others barely protrude, depends only on physiology and anatomical structure bodies.

When does the Adam's apple appear?

In boys, the Adam's apple begins to grow during puberty at the age of 11 - 13 years. During this period of life, the voice also changes, and unpleasant sensations may be observed in the throat. By the age of 18 or earlier cartilage tissue become stronger and the voice is established. The plates become harder and harder every year, and with increasing testosterone levels they can increase.

Why does my Adam's apple hurt?

There are many nerve endings concentrated around the Adam's apple and pain points. A blow to this area is very painful and can even cause cardiac arrest. True, in order to break through this cartilage, you need to strike with incredible force. Pain in the Adam's apple can be a symptom of a number of diseases, including hormonal ones:

Hypothyroidism - insufficient production of hormones in the thyroid gland. As a rule, with this disease, thyroid function is normalized, although the persistence of hypothyroidism in the body cannot be ruled out. It is characterized by fatigue, constipation, and cold intolerance.

Hyperthyroidism - an increased rate of production of the same thyroid hormones. Characteristic symptoms: excessive sweating, nervousness, tachycardia, diarrhea, tremor.

Riedel's chronic fibrous thyroiditis - a disease associated with the proliferation of connective tissue around the Adam's apple. Thyroid can increase to large sizes, putting pressure on the esophagus and trachea.

However, the most common cause of Adam's apple disease is laryngitis , that is, the inflammatory process of the larynx. They can call him viral infections And colds upper respiratory tract. The symptoms of laryngitis are as follows: unpleasant sharp pains in the area of the Adam's apple, very specific, dry, barking cough. The mucous membrane of the larynx swells so much that it puts pressure on the Adam's apple and the throat as a whole. Laryngitis is not considered dangerous disease and in most cases it goes away on its own. However, if laryngitis is started, it develops into a chronic form.

Do women have Adam's apple?

Adam's apple is distinctive feature in the male body, but in women it is not completely absent. It's just not visible. However, a woman can feel her Adam's apple - to do this, she needs to lightly press on the larynx and make a low, drawn-out sound. IN isolated cases The Adam's apple can stand out on a woman's neck. This usually happens if a woman’s body is dominated by male hormones. As a rule, in the latter case, the Adam's apple is not the only sign of pathology: for example, a woman may have increased body hair, a low voice, and delayed sexual development.