The little ball in the middle of the throat is usually referred to as the uvula.
The uvula is located in the center of the free edge of the soft palate and resembles the anatomical landmark of a small cone, which is part of the soft palate. It is a muscular structure covered with mucous membrane.
Its role is mainly to close the nasopharynx and oropharynx during swallowing, so that when drinking and swallowing food can not rebound into the nasal cavity. In addition, it plays a role in assisting pronunciation and resonance. When it is too hypertrophied and flaccid, it may narrow the pharyngeal cavity, which may lead to snoring at night or even obstructive sleep apnea.
When you find the abnormal shape of uvula, or throat discomfort, you need to actively seek medical systematic examination, in order to clarify the diagnosis and standardize the treatment.