![]() Clinical significance Inflammation A swollen uvula with additional upper mouth ulcer in a run-down adult (common cold)Īt times, the mucous membrane around the uvula may swell, causing the uvula to expand 3–5 times its normal size. This is often a problem for people with uvula piercings, and a common method of inducing vomiting. Stimulation of the uvula also causes the gag reflex to initiate. Due to the large amount of saliva produced from glands in the uvula that are absent in other mammals, it has been suggested that the uvula is an accessory speech organ. The voiced uvular trill, written in the International Phonetic Alphabet, is one example it is used in French, Arabic and Hebrew, among other languages. In many languages, a range of consonant sounds, known as uvular consonants, are articulated by creating a constriction of airflow between the uvula and the back of the tongue. It has also been proposed that the abundant amount of thin saliva produced by the uvula serves to keep the throat well lubricated. Function ĭuring swallowing, the soft palate and the uvula move together to close off the nasopharynx, and prevent food from entering the nasal cavity. īifid uvula is a common symptom of the rare genetic syndrome Loeys–Dietz syndrome, which is associated with an increased risk of aortic aneurysm. Bifid uvula occurs in about 2% of the general population, although some populations may have a high incidence, such as Native Americans who have a 10% rate. ![]() Splitting of the uvula occurs infrequently but is the most common form of mouth and nose area cleavage among newborns. If the soft palate cannot touch the back of the throat while swallowing, food and drink can enter the nasal cavity. While swallowing, the soft palate is pushed backwards, preventing food and drink from entering the nasal cavity. Bifid uvulas have less muscle in them than a normal uvula, which may cause recurring problems with middle ear infections. The bifid uvula results from incomplete fusion of the palatine shelves but it is considered only a slight form of clefting. Newborns with cleft palate often also have a split uvula. Variation The bifid uvula of a 24-year-old womanĪ bifid or bifurcated uvula is a split or cleft uvula. ![]() Its muscles are controlled by the pharyngeal branch of the vagus nerve. This change in contour allows the soft palate to adapt closely to the posterior pharyngeal wall to help close the nasopharynx during swallowing. This changes the contour of the posterior part of the soft palate. The muscular part of the uvula ( Latin: musculus uvulae) shortens and broadens the uvula.
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