Thyroid cartilage is a single formation that is present in the throat of every person. It is not difficult to guess its function. Cartilage protects vital organs, arteries in the throat and neck from damage, injury and displacement.
The structure of the thyroid cartilage
The material that this education is made of is called hyaline. Cartilage itself is smooth, vitreous. It can not be called dense, and the consistency is more like a thick gel. The elasticity of the formation is due to the presence of collagen fibers in it.
The thyroid cartilage consists of several plates, and also has various processes and antennae. Of course, in order to keep it in place all the time, bones and other cartilage help formation. For example, the cricoid and thyroid cartilage are closely related, since the first cartilage serves as the lower support for the thyroid.
Over time, the thyroid cartilage of a person gradually hardens and overgrows with bone tissue. In men, this happens at the age of 16, and in women this process is a little delayed. Also, in older people, the thyroid cartilage is much thinner and softer than in young people, which indicates a decrease in its protective functions.
Do not confuse the thyroid cartilage with the thyroid gland. They have only a similar form, from which they got the same root names. Cartilage in no way relates to the work of the endocrine system.
Its main and connecting functions
It is worth noting that education has not only basic, but also connecting functions.
The main ones:
- connecting;
- supporting;
- protective.
Connecting:
- the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage are connected by plates;
- the formation is connected with the arytenoid cartilage; nearby are the vocal and vestibular ligaments;
- cartilage is also located next to the epiglottis; a dense bundle passes between them.
What is an adam apple?
Adam's apple is a bulging part of the neck that only men have. This formation appears due to the large amount of testosterone, which is considered to be the hormone of the stronger sex.
By itself, the Adam's apple does not belong to the thyroid gland. This formation is the thyroid cartilage. The functions of the Adam apple, respectively, are the same. That is, it protects important organs of the neck from external factors.
It is worth noting that a large number of nerve endings are located on the adam's apple, and inaccurate movements or a blow to it can cause a man severe and sharp pain.
Adam's Apple Functions
As mentioned above, the functions of the cartilage of the thyroid and Adam's apple coincide, but there is still a difference between them.
- Adam's apple helps with swallowing food. When swallowing, it blocks the airway, and pieces of food fall exclusively into the esophagus.
- Also, education is actively involved in the system for extracting sounds by the vocal cords, as it is closely connected with them.
- Adam's apple is movable. It is this function that affects the formation of a low voice, which is inherent in men.
- And finally, the Adam's apple is considered a sign of masculinity.
The cause of pain in the thyroid cartilage
It happens that a person begins to experience pain during palpation of the thyroid cartilage. This condition is considered pathological and the patient can safely contact a specialist for a diagnosis.
There are several main reasons why thyroid cartilage hurts:
- thyroiditis;
- phlegmon;
- tuberculosis;
- osteochondrosis of the cervical spine;
- development of a malignant tumor.
Cartilage can also hurt due to the effects of the flu, past illnesses, etc., but in any case, only the doctor should make the diagnosis.
Most often, the formation hurts due to thyroiditis. It can occur in a chronic or acute form. But the chronic form is extremely rare, since severe pain senses the patient at the initial stage of the disease.
Acute thyroiditis causes extremely unpleasant sensations during palpation of the thyroid cartilage. Almost immediately, it swells, and inflammation captures the front of the neck. In addition to increasing the size of the cartilage, the patient complains of poor health, weakness and fever.
In chronic thyroiditis, proliferation of fibrous tissue occurs. The lump begins to press on the cartilage, thereby causing unpleasant sensations. It is not difficult to guess that in the chronic form of the disease, the pain is more pulling and oppressive.
Malignant thyroid cartilage
A cancerous tumor very rarely affects the thyroid cartilage, however, with the occurrence of pain, one should not exclude such a terrible pathology. It is worth noting that for a long time oncology may not manifest itself in any way and not give any metastases. Despite the fact that cancer of the thyroid cartilage is a rare disease, there are some factors that increase the chance of an ailment.
Risk factors:
- radiation exposure;
- conducting radiation therapy of the brain or in the neck;
- age over 40;
- heredity;
- frequent stress;
- bad habits.
With a malignant tumor of the thyroid cartilage, the patient often experiences discomfort during palpation, and the pain often gives off to the area of the ear and face. In addition, the patient may have difficulty swallowing food, which leads to exhaustion, complain of a paroxysmal cough and feel a foreign body in the throat.
Injury
The result of trauma to the formation can be a fracture of the thyroid cartilage. This is a serious injury, the treatment of which should be carried out only under the supervision of a doctor.
Symptoms of a fracture:
- strong pain;
- swelling;
- hemorrhage in the area of damage;
- emphysema.
Before prescribing treatment, the doctor must evaluate how dangerous the fracture was and what other organs were affected.
With a simple fracture, the neck must be immobilized, remove the load, to ensure complete rest to the victim. If severe pain occurs, painkillers can be prescribed.
Another terrible consequence of a fracture of the thyroid cartilage can be damage to the vocal cords or their stretching. Symptoms remain the same, but can also join:
- hoarseness of voice;
- sensation of a lump in the throat;
- strong perspiration;
- cough.
If the patient had a sprain, then no specific treatment is prescribed, except that the patient is recommended to minimize conversations and tension in the throat. If a tear was recorded, then medication is used. Antihistamines, anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as pain medications are prescribed to the patient. Sometimes even surgical intervention may be needed.
Maintaining healthy thyroid cartilage
Many people do not even think about how to maintain thyroid cartilage in a healthy state. Indeed, there are not many rules:
- visit to an ENT doctor (examination recommended 1 time per year);
- adhere to a healthy lifestyle;
- training muscles and ligaments of the neck;
- smoking restriction;
- injury prevention.
Also, experts strongly recommend that their patients go to the reception for any complaints, especially if it is pain. Do not pay attention even to the slightest unpleasant sensations in the area of the thyroid cartilage. After all, it is not rare that a malignant tumor at the first (initial) stage manifests itself in this way.