Laryngology
Encyclopedia
Laryngology is that branch of medicine
which deals with disorders, disease
s and injuries
of the vocal apparatus, especially the larynx
. Common conditions addressed by laryngologists include vocal fold nodule
s and cyst
s, laryngeal cancer, spasmodic dysphonia
, laryngopharyngeal reflux
, papillomas
, and voice misuse/abuse/overuse syndromes.
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
which deals with disorders, disease
Disease
A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
s and injuries
Trauma (medicine)
Trauma refers to "a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident." It can also be described as "a physical wound or injury, such as a fracture or blow." Major trauma can result in secondary complications such as circulatory shock, respiratory failure and death...
of the vocal apparatus, especially the larynx
Larynx
The larynx , commonly called the voice box, is an organ in the neck of amphibians, reptiles and mammals involved in breathing, sound production, and protecting the trachea against food aspiration. It manipulates pitch and volume...
. Common conditions addressed by laryngologists include vocal fold nodule
Vocal fold nodule
A vocal cord nodule is a mass of tissue that grows on the vocal folds . Typically, this mass will appear on the junction of the anterior and middle two-thirds of the vocal fold, where contact is most forceful....
s and cyst
Cyst
A cyst is a closed sac, having a distinct membrane and division on the nearby tissue. It may contain air, fluids, or semi-solid material. A collection of pus is called an abscess, not a cyst. Once formed, a cyst could go away on its own or may have to be removed through surgery.- Locations :* Acne...
s, laryngeal cancer, spasmodic dysphonia
Spasmodic dysphonia
Spasmodic dysphonia is a voice disorder characterized by involuntary movements of one or more muscles of the larynx during speech.- Types of spasmodic dysphonia :...
, laryngopharyngeal reflux
Laryngopharyngeal reflux
Laryngopharyngeal reflux , also extraesophageal reflux disease refers to retrograde flow of gastric contents to the upper aero-digestive tract, which causes a variety of symptoms, such as cough, hoarseness, and asthma, among others.Although heartburn is a primary symptom among people with...
, papillomas
Laryngeal papillomatosis
Laryngeal papillomatosis, also known as recurrent respiratory papillomatosis or glottal papillomatosis, is a rare medical condition , caused by a HPV infection of the throat. Laryngeal papillomatosis causes assorted tumors or papillomas to develop over a period of time...
, and voice misuse/abuse/overuse syndromes.
Etymology of "laryngology"
The word "laryngology" is derived from:- the GreekGreek languageGreek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
prefixPrefixA prefix is an affix which is placed before the root of a word. Particularly in the study of languages,a prefix is also called a preformative, because it alters the form of the words to which it is affixed.Examples of prefixes:...
λαρυγγ- (laryng-, root = λάρυγξ, meaning "larynx"), and - the Greek suffixSuffixIn linguistics, a suffix is an affix which is placed after the stem of a word. Common examples are case endings, which indicate the grammatical case of nouns or adjectives, and verb endings, which form the conjugation of verbs...
-λογία (-logy, root = λόγος, meaning "the study of", or "knowledge").
Famous laryngologists
- George Duncan Gibb (1821–1876)
- Morell MackenzieMorell MackenzieSir Morell Mackenzie was a British physician, one of the pioneers of laryngology in the United Kingdom.-Biography:...
(1837–1892) - Felix Semon (1849–1921)
- Chevalier JacksonChevalier JacksonChevalier Jackson was a laryngologist.Jackson was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He went to school at the Western University of Pennsylvania from 1879 to 1883, and received his MD from Jefferson Medical College. He also studied laryngology in England.His work reduced the risks involved in a...
(1865–1958)