What is the nose and throat

Your nose and throat are part of your respiratory system.

Your nose is the organ responsible for your sense of smell. Your throat is the part of your body responsible for swallowing. Your nose and throat also carry air to your lungs, and play an important role in helping you talk and make sounds.

Your nose, throat and ears are all connected to each other.

What is the function of your nose and throat?

Your nose passes air into and out of the lungs and helps your sense of smell. Your throat helps you breathe and swallow food and drinks.

The function of your nose

The nose has several important functions such as:

• smelling — it helps you detect different scents
• breathing — it is a main pathway for air to enter and leave your lungs
• filtering air — it traps dust and other particles with mucus and tiny hairs to keep them out of your lungs
• warming and moistening air — it warms and adds moisture to the air before it goes to your lungs
• voice resonance — your nose and sinuses help your voice sound clearer and fuller

The function of your throat

The throat has several important functions such as:

• passageway for food and air — it helps move food to the tube leading to the stomach (oesophagus) and air to the lungs (trachea)
• filtering air — the throat has mucus and tiny hairs that trap dirt and carry it to the tube leading to the stomach to be swallowed
• fighting infections — the tonsils and adenoids in the throat help fight infections
• speech — the voice box in the throat has vocal cords that create sounds for speaking
• swallowing — the throat helps guide food and fluids to the tube leading to the stomach

What are the different parts of your nose and throat?

Your nose and throat have many parts that help them perform their functions.

Different parts of your nose

The nose has several important parts that help it do its job such as:

• Nostrils — the 2 openings in your nose that let air in.
• Nasal cavity — the area that warms, moistens, and cleans the air.
• Nasal septum — divides the inside of your nose into 2 parts.
• Turbinates — ridges inside your nose that help filter the air.
• Sinuses — air-filled spaces in the skull that add to your voice sound.
• Mucous membrane — a layer of tissue inside of your nose that has many blood vessels and produces mucus.
• Cilia — tiny hairs that move mucus and trapped particles out of your nose.

Different parts of your throat

• Nasopharynx — the upper part of the throat located behind the nose. It connects the nasal cavity to the rest of the throat and helps you with breathing.
• Oropharynx — the middle part of the throat located behind the mouth. This is a passage to move food from the mouth to the tube leading to the stomach (oesophagus). This also moves air from your nose or mouth to your lungs.
• Hypopharynx — the lower part of the throat that leads guides food into the oesophagus and air into the windpipe (trachea).

Other important parts of the throat include:

• Tonsils and adenoids — to help fight infections.
• Uvula — a small flap that helps with swallowing and speech.
• Larynx — also known as your voice box, that contains vocal cords for producing sound.
• Epiglottis — a flap that prevents food from entering the windpipe during swallowing.

How do your nose and throat work?

Your nose and throat work together to help you breathe, swallow and speak. Here’s how they work.

Your nose

When you breathe in, air enters through your nostrils. Inside your nose the air is warmed, moistened and cleaned. Tiny hairs and mucus trap dust and dirt. This prevents the dirt from reaching your lungs.

Your nose helps you smell by detecting different odours with special nerve cells. These nerve cells send signals to your brain.

Your throat

Your throat connects your mouth and nose to your oesophagus and trachea. When you swallow, food travels down your throat to your oesophagus and then to your stomach. The uvula helps prevent food from going into your windpipe when you swallow.

Air passes through your throat to your trachea and into your lungs. The voice box has vocal cords that produce sound when you speak.

What are medical conditions related to the nose and throat?

Common problems that affect the nose and throat include infections caused by:

• a virus — such as colds and flu and COVID-19
• bacteria — such as a streptococcal throat infection
• fungi — such as oral thrush

Conditions that could affect both your nose and throat are:

• Polyps — nasal polyps grow inside your sinuses and nose and throat polyps grow on your vocal cords.
• Nose or throat cancer — any part of the nose or throat may be affected by cancer.

Nose conditions

Examples of conditions related to the nose and sinuses are:

• Hay fever — an allergy to dust mites or animal hair or fur. It may also be a reaction to pollens from grasses, or something else in your environment.
• Nosebleeds — are common in children and are not usually. If the nosebleed won't stop, take your child to a doctor or hospital emergency department.
• Sinusitis — an infection to the small air-filled spaces in the bones behind the forehead around the nose and eyes. This can cause a blocked or runny nose and blocked sinuses.
• Deviated septum — makes one nasal passage smaller than the other. This can make breathing through the nose difficult. It can also affect how your ability to smell.
• Problems with your adenoids — surgery to remove the adenoids is called adenoidectomy.

Throat conditions

Examples of conditions related to the throat are:

• Croup — a viral infection in babies and young children which can cause narrowing of the airways.
• Sore throat — a common infection that can cause a runny nose, a cough and feeling weak and feverish. A strep throat is an example of a throat infection.
• Tonsillitis — an infection of the tonsils causing them to become red and swollen. Surgery to remove your tonsils is called a tonsillectomy.

How can I take care of my nose and throat?

To keep your nose and throat healthy:

• don't smoke
• avoid smoky environments
• limit your use of alcohol

To reduce the risk of getting or spreading respiratory infections:

• wash your hands regularly or use hand sanitiser
• stay home when you are unwell
• cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing

Resources and support

Visit Queensland Government for more information on nose and throat health.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 at any time to speak to a registered nurse (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria) for more information and advice.