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By convention, the cervical vertebrae are numbered, with the first one (C1) closest to the skull and higher numbered vertebrae (C2–C7) proceeding away from the skull and down the spine. The general characteristics of the third through sixth cervical vertebrae are described here.
C2 innervates the rectus capitis anterior and rectus capitis lateralis muscles, and provides sensory nerves to the trapezius and the back of the scalp and upper neck. [2] At the atlantoaxial joint, the C2 spinal nerve emerges from the spinal cord through a small bony opening known as the intervertebral foramen located above the C2 vertebra.
The cervical spinal nerve 7 (C7) is a spinal nerve of the cervical segment. [1] It originates from the spinal column from above the cervical vertebra 7 (C7). It runs through the interspace between the C6 and C7 vertebrae.
There are seven cervical vertebrae (but eight cervical spinal nerves), designated C1 through C7. These bones are, in general, small and delicate. Their spinous processes are short (with the exception of C2 and C7, which have palpable spinous processes). C1 is also called the atlas, and C2 is also called the axis.
In anatomy, the axis (from Latin axis, "axle") is the second cervical vertebra (C2) of the spine, immediately inferior to the atlas, upon which the head rests. The spinal cord passes through the axis. The defining feature of the axis is its strong bony protrusion known as the dens, which rises from the superior aspect of the bone.
The number of vertebrae in a region can vary but overall the number remains the same. In a human spinal column, there are normally 33 vertebrae. [3] The upper 24 pre-sacral vertebrae are articulating and separated from each other by intervertebral discs, and the lower nine are fused in adults, five in the sacrum and four in the coccyx, or tailbone.
The cervical spinal nerve 8 (C8) is a spinal nerve of the cervical segment. [1] It originates from the spinal column from below the cervical vertebra 7 (C7). [2]
C1–C7 emerge above their corresponding vertebrae, while C8 emerges below the C7 vertebra. Everywhere else in the spine, the nerve emerges below the vertebra with the same name. The posterior distribution includes the suboccipital nerve (C1), the greater occipital nerve (C2) and the third occipital nerve (C3).