Hyoid bone where is it

Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Read this next. Supraspinatus Medically reviewed by the Healthline Medical Network. Quadratus plantae Medically reviewed by the Healthline Medical Network. Depressor labii inferioris Medically reviewed by the Healthline Medical Network.

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Extensor pollicis longus Medically reviewed by the Healthline Medical Network. Biceps brachii Medically reviewed by the Healthline Medical Network. Skeletal System Overview. Medically reviewed by William Morrison, M. From its resting position the hyoid bone can be moved upwards and downwards, and forwards and backwards, by the muscles that are attached to it.

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Subscribe Now. We are unable to redeem your access code. The muscles that attach onto the hyoid bone include, but are not limited to, the:.

These and other anterior neck muscles play a role in swallowing and may be affected in cases of neck injuries or misalignment. The hyoid bone is located above the Adam's apple in men and below the tonsils and the epiglottis. While not technically a part of the larynx, at the top, the two structures are very close.

The hyoid provides an attachment site for muscles that control movements of the larynx. Since the hyoid functions as an attachment point for the larynx, it's involved in any function that the larynx is involved in.

The larynx is the area above your windpipe, aka trachea, that helps protect you from choking on foreign objects. Perhaps the most well-known example of this is when food "goes down the wrong pipe. The larynx does its primary job of protecting you from choking by quickly closing off the opening to the trachea when a foreign object tries to enter.

Remember, the windpipe is built for air, not things. Another thing the larynx does is produce sound; singers and speakers often refer to the larynx as the voice box.

The larynx is also responsible for coughing, which is part of the choking protection mechanism function mentioned above. The larynx has a few other purposes, as well, including playing a role in ventilation and functioning as a sensory organ. A second function of the hyoid bone is to provide a foundation or base from which the tongue can move. Finally, the hyoid bone is involved in respiration it plays a role in keeping the airway open.

That important not only for breathing but for sleep and sleeping disorders, such as sleep apnea. The hyoid bone is small, and it functions as an attachment point for many muscles involved in swallowing, jaw movements, and respiration. Swallowing function may be impaired due to problems such as stroke, neck injuries, or jaw and neck cancers.

If that occurs, working with a specialist like a speech pathologist may be useful. Your speech therapist may perform specific exercises to help you swallow better, and these may involve getting familiar with your hyoid bone. Your therapist may also teach you how to mobilize your hyoid bone and to stretch or strengthen the muscles that surround it.

Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Anatomy, head and neck, hyoid bone. Updated April 5, Zhang Z.

Mechanics of human voice production and control. J Acoust Soc Am. Pauloski BR. Rehabilitation of dysphagia following head and neck cancer.

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