Thyroid Disorders

The thyroid gland sits either side of and in front of the trachea (windpipe) low down in the neck. It has a rich blood supply which it needs as it produces large amounts of a hormone called thyroxine. Closely related to the gland are the nerves that supply the muscles that move the vocal cords, the recurrent laryngeal nerves. These nerves are obviously vital in producing a clear voice. The diagram below shows the thyroid gland and the nerves