Human Body structure: NECK

NECK

The part of the body connecting the head to the shoulders.
The neck is the start of the spinal column and spinal cord.
The spinal column contains about two dozen inter connected, oddly shaped, bony segment, called vertebrae.
The neck contains seven of these, known as the cervical vertebrae.
They are the smallest and upper most vertebrae in the body.

SPEECH-

Speech is made possible by critical structures within the neck.
The larynx houses the vocal cords, or vocal folds, sound is generated when these folds come together to produce vibrations.
Its movement also manipulates pitch and volume.
The larynx is located where the pharynx, the back of the mouth and nasal cavity, divides into the trachea(the tube that carries air to the lungs) and the esophagus( the tube that carries food to the stomach).
That branch occurs near the base of the neck near the collarbones.

NERVE SUPPLY-

Sensation to the front areas of the neck comes from the roots of nerves C2-4, and at the back of the neck from the roots of C4-5.
The cervical region of the human spine is made up of seven cervical vertebrae referred to as C-1 to C-7, with cartilaginous disc between each vertebral body.
The spinal cord sits within the cervical part of the vertebral column.
The spinal column carries nerves that carry sensory and motor information from the brain down to the rest o the body.
From top to bottom the cervical spine is gently curved in convex- forward fashion.
In addition to nerves coming from and within the human spine. the accessory nerve and vagus nerves, travel down the neck.

Some HEALTH PROBLEMS that can affect the neck include:

INJURY-

The neck is particularly vulnerable to injury, especially in falls, car accidents, and sports, where the muscles and ligaments of the neck are forced to move outside of their normal range.
If the neck bones(cervical vertebrae) are fractured, the spinal cord may also be damaged.
Neck injury due to sudden jerking of the head is commonly called whiplash.

Human Body structure