”Adam’s apple” is the common term for what doctors call the laryngeal prominence of the thyroid cartilage. It’s the cartilage that wraps around the front of your voice box (larynx) and helps protect your vocal cords from injury. Everyone has thyroid cartilage, even though you may not be able to see it.
The Adam’s apple is about the same size in people assigned male at birth (AMAB) and those assigned female at birth (AFAB) until puberty. Once puberty starts, hormones (especially testosterone) in people AMAB may cause their vocal cords to grow bigger than those in people AFAB. The thyroid cartilage may therefore stick out a bit more in people who are AMAB to protect these larger vocal cords.
An obvious Adam’s apple is therefore sometimes considered a secondary sex characteristic of males. A secondary sex characteristic is a physical feature that may show up differently based on your sex and that usually becomes obvious at sexual maturity (puberty). However, thyroid cartilage size varies from person to person. Often, people AMAB have larger, more obvious Adam’s apples than people AFAB, but not always. For instance, some people AFAB, especially those who are very thin, may have an obvious Adam’s apple.
On the outside of your throat, your Adam’s apple looks a bit like a small, rounded apple under the skin in the front, and it may stand out a bit. Inside your throat, your thyroid cartilage is made up of two plates that come together to form a V-shaped notch in the center over your vocal cords.
Why Is It Called an Adam’s Apple?
The name “Adam’s apple” likely comes from the Judeo-Christian story where Adam ate an apple from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God had forbidden Adam from eating the fruit, so as punishment, God caused the apple to become stuck in Adam’s throat.
“Adam’s apple” may also be a mistranslation of the Hebrew term from the Bible “tappuach ha adam,” which means “male bump.”
Purpose of the Adam’s Apple
The only known function of the Adam’s apple is to protect your voice box and vocal cords from injury.
Some doctors also think that the growth of your vocal cords and Adam’s apple at puberty may cause your voice to deepen. This happens in all people, regardless of sex assignment at birth, although there may be more growth in this area in people AMAB. However, no evidence has confirmed this yet.
Adam’s Apple Problems
Some conditions that affect your Adam’s apple may have the following signs:
- A sore throat
- Trouble swallowing (dysphagia)
- Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
- Coughing
- Wheezing
- Fatigue
- Sweating a lot
Some conditions that may cause swelling in your voice box and around your Adam’s apple include:
- Laryngitis (inflammation in your voice box)
- Goiter (an enlarged thyroid gland)
- Thyroid cancer
- Laryngeal cancer
Pain in your Adam’s apple can be caused by:
- Pharyngitis (inflammation in the back of your throat)
- Common cold
- Serious thyroid swelling
- Inflammation of your esophagus
- Fungal infection (candida) of your esophagus
Takeaways
”Adam’s apple” is the common term for the laryngeal prominence of the thyroid cartilage. This is the cartilage that wraps around your voice box and helps protect your vocal cords from injury. Everyone has this thyroid cartilage, but around puberty, it may grow a bit larger in people AMAB. A laryngeal shave or augmentation may be performed as part of gender-affirming surgery for people AMAB and AFAB who are uncomfortable with the size of their Adam’s Apple.
Credit: webmd
