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The diaphragm is the main muscle of respiration and functions in breathing. During inhalation, the diaphragm contracts and moves in the inferior direction, enlarging the volume of the thoracic cavity and reducing intra-thoracic pressure (the external intercostal muscles also participate in this enlargement), forcing the lungs to expand.
The diaphragm is also involved in non-respiratory functions, helping to expel vomit, faeces, and urine from the body by increasing intra-abdominal pressure, and preventing acid reflux by exerting pressure on the esophagus as it passes through the esophageal hiatus.
For example, a subphrenic abscess beneath the right diaphragm might cause a patient to feel pain in the right shoulder. Irritation of the phrenic nerve (or the tissues it supplies) leads to the hiccup reflex. A hiccup is a spasmodic contraction of the diaphragm, which pulls air against the closed folds of the larynx.
The diaphragm is also the main muscle of respiration involved in breathing, ... There are different types of asthma that affect the functions of the bronchial tubes ...
In mechanics, a diaphragm is a sheet of a semi-flexible material anchored at its periphery and most often round in shape. It serves either as a barrier between two chambers, moving slightly up into one chamber or down into the other depending on differences in pressure , or as a device that vibrates when certain frequencies are applied to it.
The function of the lungs can also be affected by compression from fluid in the pleural cavity pleural effusion, or other substances such as air (pneumothorax), blood , or rarer causes. These may be investigated using a chest X-ray or CT scan , and may require the insertion of a surgical drain until the underlying cause is identified and treated.
Diaphragm (optics), a stop in the light path of a lens, having an aperture that regulates the amount of light that passes; Diaphragm (acoustics), a thin, semi-rigid membrane that vibrates to produce or transmit sound waves; Diaphragm (birth control), a small rubber dome placed in the vagina to wall off the cervix, thus preventing sperm from ...
The crus of diaphragm (pl.: crura), refers to one of two tendinous structures that extends below the diaphragm to the vertebral column. There is a right crus and a left crus, which together form a tether for muscular contraction. They take their name from their leg-shaped appearance – crus meaning leg in Latin.