There is a small bump at the front of the neck that is especially noticeable in many men. It moves when you swallow, becomes more prominent during puberty and has one of the strangest names in human anatomy: the Adam’s apple. So what is an Adam’s apple, why does it stick out more in some people, and does it really have anything to do with Adam and an apple?
What is an Adam’s apple?
The Adam’s apple is the everyday name for the laryngeal prominence, the visible front part of the thyroid cartilage. The thyroid cartilage is the largest of the nine cartilages that make up the framework of the larynx, or voice box. It is made of two broad plates that meet at the front of the neck, and where they join, they form the ridge you can see and feel under the skin, as Wikipedia explains. So the Adam’s apple is not a separate lump sitting on the voice box; it is part of the voice box itself. It helps protect the structures inside, including the vocal folds, which are attached to its inner surface.
Try resting a finger gently on the bump and swallowing. You will feel the whole structure rise and then return. The larynx lifts as you swallow, while other muscles and structures, including the epiglottis, help protect the airway as food and drink pass into the oesophagus. (The old picture of the epiglottis as a simple hinged lid over the windpipe is a bit of an oversimplification; protecting the airway is a team effort.)
Why does it stick out more in men?
Everyone has a laryngeal prominence; it just is not equally visible in everyone. Before puberty, the larynx is fairly similar in size in boys and girls. During puberty, it typically grows much more in boys, driven by hormones including testosterone, and the vocal folds become longer and thicker. Shape matters too. The two plates of the thyroid cartilage meet at an angle, commonly cited as about 90 degrees in men and about 120 degrees in women, and the sharper angle makes the front edge jut out further, as Science ABC explains. It is not an absolute rule, though. Some women have a very prominent Adam’s apple and some men barely have one, depending on neck anatomy, cartilage shape and body composition, and neither, on its own, says anything unusual about someone’s health.
Does it make your voice deeper?
Not directly. The larger larynx that develops in boys during puberty comes with a larger thyroid cartilage and longer, thicker vocal folds, and it is those vocal folds that lower the pitch of the adult male voice. The Adam’s apple is really a visible sign of those changes, not the thing doing the work. In other words, the bump does not deepen your voice; it is part of the bigger voice box that did.
Why is it called an Adam’s apple?
This is where it gets interesting. The popular explanation comes from the story of Adam and Eve: Adam swallowed a piece of the forbidden fruit, it stuck in his throat, and the lump was passed down to his descendants. There is just one problem. The Bible never says the forbidden fruit was an apple, and it never says a piece got stuck in Adam’s throat, so the story appears to be a later explanation for the name rather than its source.
There is another theory. In 1968, linguist Alexander Gode proposed that the Latin term pomum Adami, “Adam’s apple”, may have come from a mistranslation of a Hebrew phrase meaning something like “swelling of a man”, according to Wikipedia. It plays on the fact that adam can mean “man” in Hebrew, and that the Hebrew words for apple and swelling are similar. It is a fascinating idea, but it is a theory, not an established fact. What we do know is that pomum Adami was used in European medical writing centuries ago, before the English “Adam’s apple” became established. So the name may have travelled through medical and linguistic traditions rather than coming from fruit lodged in Adam’s throat. Neither explanation is certain, which is part of the fun.
When should a neck lump be checked?
The Adam’s apple itself is normal anatomy, but not every lump at the front of the neck is an Adam’s apple, and a normal Adam’s apple does not suddenly appear as a new lump. If you notice a new lump, one that is growing or changing, persistent pain, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness or other unexplained changes, it is sensible to have it checked by your GP.
A piece of your voice box
So the next time you feel that little bump move as you swallow, you are feeling part of your voice box, not a piece of ancient fruit. It is a protective shield for your vocal folds, a marker of puberty, and a name that may have been lost in translation centuries ago. If you like small surprises in the body, my post on hiccups covers another quirk of the throat and breathing, and what is homeostasis? looks at how the whole body keeps itself in balance.
This article is general information only and is not medical advice. If you notice a new or changing lump in your neck, persistent pain, difficulty swallowing or unexplained hoarseness, see your GP, or call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222.