The Throat The throat is also called the pharynx and is the passageway from the mouth and throat to the esophagus and larynx (voice box). Its lets food and liquid enter the esophagus, which leads to the stomach, and closes when we breathe to let air enter and leave the lungs. When you 'swallow food the wrong way' the throat does not close over the airway so the food enters the lungs and you begin to choke. By coughing, the food is forced up the airway and back down the esophagus into the stomach. The throat also connects with the middle ear and can change the pressure on the eardrum. This is why when you have a blocked ear you can swallow and it will unblock as the pressure on the eardrum has been reduced. The tonsils are also found at the entrance to the throat. Esophagus After food leaves the throat it enters the esophagus, a tube which links the mouth with the stomach. It is about 25 cm (12 inches) long and between 1-2cm (0.4-0.8 in) wide. It pushes the food into the stomach by a series of muscle contractions called peristalsis. The muscles behind the food contract and push the food along the esophagus, while the muscles in front of the food relax making it easier for the food to move into the stomach. There are cells along the esophagus which produce mucous making the tube slippery which helps move the food along.

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