Word parts
What it means
The upper section of the pharynx (throat). Air passes through it from the nose on the way to the lungs. The openings of the eustachian tubes to the middle ears are here, and so are the adenoids. Below it are the oropharynxor-oh-FAIR-inksThe middle part of the throat, behind the mouth, from the soft palate down to the top of the voice box.or/o mouthpharyng/o throatFull entry and then the voice box.
For the nurse
A nasopharyngeal swab for flu, COVID-19 or other tests goes gently along the floor of the nose to the back of the nasopharynx. A nasopharyngeal airway (a soft tube through the nose) can keep the airway open in a drowsy client with a gag reflex.
At a glance
| Spanish | nasofaringe |
|---|---|
| Also written | nasopharyngeal |
Related terms
nas/o
A word part that means nose.
airway
The passages that carry air into and out of the lungs, from the nose and mouth to the smallest air tubes.
respiratory system
The organs that bring air into the body and move oxygen into the blood and carbon dioxide out of it.
oropharynx
The middle part of the throat, behind the mouth, from the soft palate down to the top of the voice box.