Musculus uvulae
Uvular muscle · Head & throat
Deep muscle — it lies under other muscles. X-ray makes the muscles over it see-through.
- Origin
- Posterior nasal spine of the palatine bones and the palatine aponeurosis
- Insertion
- Mucous membrane of the uvula
- Action
- Shortens and lifts the uvula
- Nerve supply
- Pharyngeal plexus of the vagus nerve (CN X)
A small paired muscle running down the middle of the soft palate into the uvula. It shortens the uvula and helps seal off the back of the nose in swallowing and speech.
Musculus uvulae anatomy page →