Structure and Function of the Cervical Spine

Introduction:

Cervical spine spine starts at base of skull superiorly ,ends above thoracic spine inferiorly and it could be called (neck).Neck joins head with trunk and limbs and it works as a major conduit for structures between them. Flexibility of neck movement allows and maximise necessary positions to head functions and its sensory organs. There are many important structures in neck area like nerves, muscles,arteries,veins, vertebrates, lymphatics,glands, oesophagus and trachea. Due to these important structures and lack of bony protection neck area is considered as a region of vulnerability. The main arterial blood supply for head and neck is carotid arteries and principal venous drainage is jugular veins.Carotid and Jugular are commonly injured in penetrating wound of neck. Brachial plexueses of nerves originate in neck and travels inferiorly to upper limb. In anterior aspect of neck,there is thyroid cartilage (largest cartilage of thyroid and trachea).Cervical spine spine starts just below skull and ends above thoracic spine.It consists of 7 vertebrates from C1 to C7 , C1 called atlas and C2 called axis. Cervical spine has a lordotic curve ( C shaped curve ).