A 32-year-old man coughs due to a laryngeal irritation while eating. What happens to the vocal cords immediately after the irritation?

In response to laryngeal irritation, the body activates a protective reflex known as the cough reflex. When the larynx is irritated, sensory nerves send signals to the brain, and a motor response is triggered to protect the airway from foreign substances, in this case while eating.

Immediately following this irritation, the vocal cords—also known as vocal folds—close temporarily. This closure helps to prevent food or other irritants from entering the trachea and lungs. The brief closure of the vocal cords helps to ensure that the airway is protected during the coughing episode. Opening the airway at this moment would not serve the protective purpose of the cough reflex.

Ultimately, once the irritation is resolved and the coughing action has occurred, the vocal cords will then reopen to allow normal breathing and phonation. However, it is their temporary closing that plays a crucial role in safeguarding the airway during the irritative episode.