Fig 1a shows the components of the respiratory system. Fundamentally, the respiratory system is made up of:

Airway

• Higher cortical consciousness to maintain airway tone
• Laryngeal reflex to effect swallow, cough and spit so as to clear airway of saliva or foreign bodies

Breathing

• Medulla is the central processing unit for the action of breathing
• Cervical roots 3, 4 and 5 maintain diaphragm activity

Question: How can the components be affected?

Answer: Fig 1b shows how the components can be affected.