Speech

This is another function of the throat. The ability to talk and converse with others is a vital part of being human and continues to fascinate and interest us.

Speech is one of several forms of communication.

What is speech?

Speech is produced by the pressure of air from the lungs via the larynx which is then articulated by the vocal cords. This is formed into a series of sounds which vary in tone and frequency according to the degree of pressure.

The mouth and tongue also play a part in the production of speech. This speech takes the form of various vowels and consonants which are grouped into words and sentences. These are interpreted and understood by others. The study of sounds in human speech is called phonetics.

Whilst speech is important, overuse of this –or basically, talking too much can strain the throat and cause a range of symptoms which include a raspy or croaky voice and a sore throat. In some cases this can lead to a loss of the voice or laryngitis.

If you give speeches or presentations, or have an occupation which requires you to talk for any length of time then be aware of this risk.

Find out more about how to prevent this in our looking after your throat section.