The nasopharynx is the uppermost part of the pharynx, lying behind the nasal cavity and above the soft palate. It is mainly an airway and stays open because its walls are fixed to the skull base. Its side walls carry the openings of the auditory (Eustachian) tubes, and the adenoids sit in its roof and back wall.
| Location | Behind the nasal cavity (posterior to the choanae), below the body of the sphenoid and above the soft palate |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Nerve Supply | Pharyngeal branch of the maxillary nerve, CN V2 (sensory); Pharyngeal plexus (CN IX and CN X) |
| Blood Supply | Ascending pharyngeal artery; Pharyngeal branch of the maxillary artery; Ascending palatine artery |
| Venous drainage |
|
| Lymphatic drainage |
|
Conducts air from the nose to the lower airway, equalises middle ear pressure through the auditory tubes and contributes to immune surveillance through the adenoids.
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma often starts in the pharyngeal recess behind the tubal opening and may first show as a neck lump or as glue ear on one side in an adult, which should always prompt examination of the nasopharynx. In children, enlarged adenoids block the nose and the auditory tubes, causing mouth breathing, snoring and recurrent ear effusions. The soft palate rises against the nasopharyngeal wall during swallowing to stop food entering the nose.
Epithelial cancer linked to Epstein-Barr virus and particularly common in southern China and Southeast Asia; presents with neck nodes, nasal blockage or one-sided ear effusion.
Enlarged adenoids in children causing nasal obstruction, snoring, sleep apnoea and otitis media with effusion.
Benign but locally aggressive vascular tumour of adolescent males that causes nasal obstruction and heavy nosebleeds.
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