Vocal cords. Recovery of inflammation of the vocal cords The vocal cords are located

Hello friends, I suddenly found out to my annoyance that there is no article on my blog devoted exclusively to the vocal cords, their structure and principle of operation. Now I will correct this matter, of course, many of you are already familiar with this issue, but many novice singers, judging by personal experience not completely, but many have absolutely no idea what the vocal cords look like!

And so, for starters, I suggest watching a video cut from several studies, where you can have a great look at the work of the vocal cords in action!

In my opinion, this filming is done using an endoscope, and if I'm not mistaken, this is a tube with a camera that penetrates the larynx through the nasal cavity and, as it were, looks from above at the ligaments and the larynx as a whole, then everything is clear ...
The vocal cords consist of the vocal cord (tendon) and the vocal muscle, on the one hand they are attached to the arytenoid cartilages, and on the other hand to the inside of the thyroid cartilage (anterior wall of the larynx).
It is more logical to call the vocal cords - folds, if only because of their appearance(two parallel folds protruding from opposite sides of the larynx). The structure of the vocal folds is unique, because the tendons not only attach the vocal muscle to the cartilage, but also pierce it through, to the middle of their length, which, mind you, makes it possible to close the vocal cords, both in its entire length, and separately, with any part (anterior part, back, middle). It is because of this structural feature of the ligament that they are called ligaments, more often than folds!
From above, the vocal cords are covered with a mucous membrane, which makes them more resilient and elastic, and also allows for clearer and easier resonation. From what the voice becomes sonorous, for example, in the article “Smoking”, I wrote about changes in the mucous membrane of the larynx in smokers, which is why their voices are often hoarse!
Also, there is a second pair of vocal cords, they are located above the true cords, they have a different shape and structure, they are not stretched over the entire length of the larynx, they close very sluggishly and slowly, in addition, not completely, therefore, they cannot be used in singing! False folds are also called vestibular folds or vestibular folds. False ligaments also close during the work of true ligaments, but they do not carry any benefit for the voice. The vocal cords make a coughing noise similar to a growl, many rock and jazz vocalists use this technique in singing and it is called "growling". Of course, in jazz - this technique is not as brutal as in rock, but it came from jazz. By the way, I find growling a much more useful style of singing than singing on tight true chords. Of course, you can harm yourself with growling, but the true links are more likely to be erased from the constant replay than the false ones from the growl! So, false ligaments work in guttural singing, true ligaments are practically inactive there!

Education is called voice data because in rare cases pathology, injury or surgical removal true vocal folds, false (after some practice) are able to take on the function of creating a voice.

Of course, the human voice in this case is very rough and bears little resemblance to the real one, however, in the vocal tract, thanks to the oropharyngeal resonator, formants appear that make it possible to create vowel sounds. At least, a person has some kind of ersatz variant of speech.

The ability of false ligaments to produce a sound wave is one of the arguments of supporters of the myoelastic theory of voice formation.

The main role of false ligaments in the human body is to close the entrance to Airways. At the time of air retention, as well as in other conditions of the body, such as straining, coughing, false vocal cords are able to completely block the entrance to the trachea, working simultaneously with other sphincters located in the vocal tract.

The function of false ligaments is subject to the deep control systems of the brain (reflex), therefore it is not controlled by consciousness. However, you can learn to control the contraction or expansion of the false vocal cords to a large extent by using the exercises developed in the EVT Method.

When singing, false ligaments can be partially brought together (only with their front part). In this case, the sound of the voice will receive an additional overtone of wheezing, since the influence of the false cords on the true vocal cords will change the initial frequency spectrum of the sound created by the true vocal folds. This practice is called "controlled vocal clamping" and the resulting sound is called distortion (similar to the effect used in electric musical instruments).

In Russian sources you can often find the concept of "splitting". It must be understood that this term refers exclusively to the nature of the audible timbre - a "hoarse" component is mixed with a "clean" sound. Insufficient understanding of the nature of the origin of such a sound, ignorance of the existence and functioning of false vocal cords lead to an incorrect judgment about some kind of “splitting” (physical) of the true vocal folds themselves, which is completely impossible.

If the function of the false vocal folds is not under the control of the vocalist, then their work can (and often does) cause irreparable damage to the integumentary layers of the true vocal folds, which create vibration. As a result, the vocalist may permanently lose the ability to create a "clean" voice, and, at most, aphonia (loss of voice) is quite likely.

The risk of triggering the "protective sphincter" - false vocal cords - increases significantly with the phonation of sonorant consonants С, Ш, Х, Ф, therefore exercises (often still used in Russia) have already been removed from the practices of advanced vocal schools, in which the student is required to exaggerate the pronunciation of these sounds.

As an example, an unprepared person has a sharp shouting of "Hey!" responds with a fleeting "scratch in the throat", as many vocalists report. This effect is a small phonotrauma caused by instantaneous reflex triggering of false vocal cords. The conversation "in a raised tone" also leads after a while, if not to painful, then quite felt consequences of the "scratch" - perspiration, burning, increased secretion of mucus in the larynx area.

The vocal cords are located in the second third of the larynx. They serve to form the voice and help protect the tracheal area from fluid or food entering it. The timbre of a person’s voice directly depends on their condition, as well as, in principle, its very presence.

Structure

Let's take a closer look at what this organ consists of. The vocal cords are properly called folds. There are two pairs of them in the larynx.

• True. These are symmetrically located folds of the mucous layer of the larynx. They contain special muscle tissue. The structure of muscles located in different directions. Therefore, true folds can move as a common canvas, and any part of it (upper, lower or edges). This results in so many sounds. Completely closing, true ligaments do not allow foreign objects to get deeper into the human trachea.
• False. Located in front of the true. They have a weakly expressed bundle of muscles. They are also involved in sound production. However, they work lazily and do not fully close. A noticeable function is manifested only with guttural singing.

Voice timbre

At birth and in early childhood, the timbre of the voice in children is very similar. In adolescence, the boys voice becomes rougher and becomes lower. . The larynx is influenced by sex hormones and changes its structure under their action. In men, during the period of their intensive development, it lengthens and becomes wider. Adam's apple appears. The tissue of the ligaments becomes thicker and stale. As a result, the voice becomes lower and rougher.

female hormones does not work on the larynx. Therefore, a woman's voice is as sonorous as a child's.

In old age, the vocal folds, like all other muscles, work worse. The space between the vocal cords ceases to close completely. The voice becomes raspy and raspy.

The hoarse voice of smokers is caused by constant exposure to nicotine. Tobacco smoke irritates the mucous membrane of the larynx. The blood vessels narrow and the ligaments receive less nutrition. Their structure is thinning. The effect of aging of a voice turns out. The same role is played by alcohol and dusty air.

Influence of cold

The ligaments are very much affected by the cold. When inhaling cold air or drinking ice-cold drinks, part of the throat can become inflamed. It subsequently spreads to the larynx and affects the vocal cords. There may be a sore throat and hoarseness. Wetting your feet or just getting cold can also cause problems with your voice.

Important: during the treatment of the larynx, it is important to keep warm not only the throat, but also the legs.

Pharynx is a channel with muscular walls connecting the mouth and sinuses with the larynx and esophagus; the pharynx is also an organ digestive system. Larynx- a canal with cartilaginous walls connecting the pharynx with the trachea; air passes through the larynx into and out of the lungs, and this organ also acts as a voice resonator.

It is a funnel-shaped channel 12 to 14 cm long and 35 mm wide at the top and 15 mm at the bottom. The pharynx is located behind the sinuses and oral cavity, it deepens into the neck, and then passes into the larynx and esophagus. It is an integral part of how respiratory system, and digestive: the air that we breathe, as well as food, passes through the pharynx.
Three segments are distinguished in the pharynx: the upper pharynx, or nasopharynx, connected by its anterior wall with the nasal sinuses, on the upper wall of which there is a formation of lymphatic tissue called the tonsil of the pharynx; the middle pharynx, or oropharynx, which communicates with the upper part of the oral cavity and on the side walls has formations of lymphatic tissue called palatine tonsils; and the lower part of the pharynx, or laryngo-pharyngeal space, which connects anteriorly to the larynx and posteriorly to the esophagus.

The implementation of the dual function that the pharynx performs is possible thanks to the epiglottis - a tennis racket-shaped formation located on the upper wall of the larynx; normally the epiglottis remains open, allowing air to pass from the larynx to the nose and vice versa, however, during swallowing, the epiglottis closes and blocks the entrance to the larynx - this forces the food bolus to go up the esophagus.

It is a truncated cone-shaped canal, consisting of many articular cartilages connected by various muscles, membranes and ligaments. The larynx is located between the pharynx and the trachea, its size changes with age: in an adult, the larynx reaches 3.5-4.5 cm in length, 4 cm in transverse and 2.5-3.5 cm in anterior-posterior section.

In the upper part of the larynx is the epiglottis - cartilage, the movements of which direct air into the trachea during breathing and limit its flow during swallowing. In addition to supplying air to the lungs and removing it, the larynx performs another equally important function: it forms the sounds of the human voice. On the inner surface of the larynx on each side there are two folds: fibrous - false vocal cords and fibromuscular - true vocal cords, separated by a V-shaped slit called the glottis, which is responsible for the formation of sounds (more details about the structures larynx can be read in the following articles: muscles of the larynx, cartilages and joints of the larynx, cavity of the larynx, vocal folds of the larynx and functions of the larynx).

Of the ligamentous apparatus of the larynx, it is worth remembering the following: the larynx is attached to the hyoid bone on the thyroid-hyoid membrane, and a strong elastic cricothyroid ligament is stretched between the cricoid arch and the lower edge of the thyroid cartilage.

Small ligaments strengthen both joints of the larynx and fix the epiglottis to the hyoid bone and angle of the thyroid cartilage. The most famous is the vocal cord, it is located between the thyroid cartilage and the vocal process of the arytenoid cartilage of the corresponding side. Parallel to it and a little higher, there is a not pronounced vestibular fold. Both are paired.

The vocal cords form the glottis. How the voice changes depends on its width and the degree of tension of the ligaments themselves. Both are determined by the contraction of one or another striated muscle. Therefore, having considered the cartilaginous, articular and ligamentous apparatus, it is logical to pay attention to the muscles of the larynx. To understand the principle underlying the movement of the larynx.

The sounds that a person makes are due to the vibration of the vocal cords at the moment when air passes from the lungs back into oral cavity; man forms words from sounds. When inhaling, as well as when exhaling, when a person is not talking, his vocal cords are relaxed and lean against the walls of the larynx so that the air passes without any resistance. Conversely, when a person speaks, during exhalation, thanks to the muscles that contract the laryngeal cartilages, the vocal cords tighten, approach the midline of the larynx and vibrate before the air from the lungs is released. So, according to the degree of tension and the form that the vocal cords take at a certain moment, sounds of different heights are formed.