Starting at the neck and going down toward your buttocks (rear end), these segments include: Cervical (neck): The top part of the spine has seven vertebrae (C1 to C7). There is no distinct physiological function of a cervical rib. Function . Goals of care The main goals of treatment for cervical spine injury are to stabilize the spine and prevent or minimize complications. ; The second cervical vertebrae (C2) is known as the axis. Vertebral instability, occurring after a neck ligament injury, affects the function of the cervical sympathetic ganglia (nerve bundle). However, the cervical spine is comparatively mobile, and some component of this movement is due to flexion and extension of the vertebral column itself. Treatment for Barré-Liéou syndrome is suboptimal and often involves long-term use of pain medications, chiropractic care, or surgical fusion. The spine depends on support from ligaments, soft tissue, the bony vertebral column, and adequate blood flow. At each level, the cervical vertebrae protect the spinal cord and work with muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints to provide a combination of support, structure, and flexibility to the neck. The transverse processes of the vertebrae in the spine are connected to each other via the intertransverse ligament. Unlike all other vertebrae, the atlas and axis of most mammals are not separated by an intervertebral disk but rather by a synovial joint, similar to the skull-atlas joint (Fig. It consists of seven distinct vertebrae, two of which are given unique names: The first cervical vertebrae (C1) is known as the atlas. The cervical spine, your neck, is a complex structure making up the first region of the spinal column starting immediately below the skull and ending at the first thoracic vertebra. These neck vertebrae allow you to turn, tilt and nod your head. Cervical stenosis occurs when the spinal canal narrows and compresses the spinal cord and is most frequently caused by aging. Cervical C1 Vertebrae. The 33 vertebrae make up five distinct spine segments. It’s the bone that supports your head, and is held in place by muscles and ligaments, but is the only vertebrae that doesn’t have a disc. It contains seven vertebrae separated by intervertebral discs and joins with the thoracic spine, which is the next section below. Atlanto-occipital joint . Vital nerves and blood vessels passing through the neck are protected from mechanical damage by the bony arches of the cervical vertebrae. The movement of nodding the head takes place predominantly through flexion and extension at the atlanto-occipital joint between the atlas and the occipital bone. The first two cervical vertebrae are named the atlas (C1) and the axis (C2). Function. Despite being some of the smallest and lightest bones in the axial skeleton, the cervical vertebrae perform many important functions that are critical to the survival of the body. An injury affecting one or more of these supporting elements may result in a spinal cord injury. The discs in the spine that separate and cushion vertebrae may dry out and herniate.As a result, the space between the vertebrae shrinks, and the discs lose their ability to act as shock absorbers. Occipital condyles behind the skull join with the first cervical vertebra … The Cervical Spine: Anatomy, Function, and Common The cervical spine (neck) is the first section of the spinal column and starts at the bottom of the skull. The neck attaches into the skull at the poll, behind the ears. The C1 vertebrae is the first cervical vertebrae in your entire spine, located at the top of your neck and base of your skull. Seven cervical vertebrae, labeled C1 to C7, form the cervical spine from the base of the skull down to the top of the shoulders. 4A); the shapes of these first two vertebral joints dictate the range of motion between the skull and the vertebral column. 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