Cervical nerves

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Nerve: Cervical nerves
Dermatome distribution of the trigeminal nerve
Latin	nervi cervicales
Gray's	subject #209 921
Dorlands / Elsevier	n_05/12565364

The cervical nerves are the spinal nerves from the cervical vertebrae.

Although there are seven cervical vertebrae (C1-C7), there are eight cervical nerves (C1-C8). All nerves except C8 emerge above their corresponding vertebrae, while the C8 nerve emerges below the C7 vertebra. (In the other portions of the spine, the nerve emerges below the vertebra with the same name.)

Dorsal (posterior) distribution includes the greater occipital (C2) and third occipital (C3).

Ventral (anterior) distribution includes the cervical plexus (C1-C4) and brachial plexus (C5-C8)

Additional images

The nerves of the scalp, face, and side of neck.	Hypoglossal nerve, cervical plexus, and their branches.	Posterior primary divisions of the upper three cervical nerves.	Diagram of the distribution of the cutaneous branches of the posterior divisions of the spinal nerves.
Areas of distribution of the cutaneous branches of the posterior divisions of the spinal nerves.	The right brachial plexus with its short branches, viewed from in front.	Side of neck, showing chief surface markings.

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.

v • d • e Nerves: spinal nerves
Cervical (8)	C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, C8 anterior (Cervical plexus, Brachial plexus) - posterior (Posterior branches of cervical nerves, Suboccipital - C1, Greater occipital - C2, Third occipital - C3)
Thoracic (12)	T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7, T8, T9, T10, T11, T12 anterior (Intercostal, Intercostobrachial - T2, Thoraco-abdominal nerves - T7-T11, Subcostal - T12) - posterior (Posterior branches of thoracic nerves)
Lumbar (5)	L1, L2, L3, L4, L5 anterior (Lumbar plexus, Lumbosacral trunk) - posterior (Posterior branches of the lumbar nerves, Superior cluneal L1-L3)
Sacral (5)	S1, S2, S3, S4, S5 anterior (Sacral plexus) - posterior (Posterior branches of sacral nerves, Medial cluneal nerves)
Coccygeal (1)	anterior (Coccygeal plexus) - posterior (Posterior branch of coccygeal nerve)