Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurse (CNRN) Practice Exam

Which of the following is a symptom related to superior laryngeal nerve injury?

1. Intense throat pain

2. Impaired speech

3. Laryngeal spasms

4. Stridor

The correct answer is: Impaired speech

The symptom related to superior laryngeal nerve injury is indeed impaired speech. The superior laryngeal nerve is responsible for innervating the cricothyroid muscle, which plays a vital role in adjusting tension in the vocal cords and modulating pitch. When this nerve is damaged, individuals may experience difficulties with voice quality, including problems with pitch control and overall vocal strength, leading to impaired speech. In contrast, other symptoms like intense throat pain, laryngeal spasms, and stridor are typically associated with different types of laryngeal or throat pathology, such as irritation or obstruction of the airways, rather than a specific injury to the superior laryngeal nerve. Impaired speech is a direct consequence of the loss of function of the muscle innervated by this nerve, highlighting its specific role in voice production.