Cervical Spinal Nerves - Spine-health

Cervical spinal nerves, also called cervical nerves, provide functional control and sensation to different parts of the body based on the spinal level where they branch out from the spinal cord. While innervation can vary from person to person, some common patterns include:

• C1, C2, and C3 (the first three cervical nerves) help control the head and neck, including movements forward, backward, and to the sides.1Magee DJ. Cervical Spine. In: Magee DJ, ed. Orthopedic Physical Assessment. 5th ed. St. Louis, MO. Saunders Elsevier; 2008: 130-202. The C2 dermatome handles sensation for the upper part of the head, and the C3 dermatome covers the side of the face and back of the head.2Felten DL, O’Banion MK, Maida MS. Peripheral Nervous System. In: Netter’s Atlas of Neuroscience. 3rd ed. Elsevier; 2016:153-231. doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-26511-9.00009-6 (C1 does not have a dermatome.)

  See The C1-C2 Vertebrae and Spinal Segment

• C4 helps control upward shoulder movements.1Magee DJ. Cervical Spine. In: Magee DJ, ed. Orthopedic Physical Assessment. 5th ed. St. Louis, MO. Saunders Elsevier; 2008: 130-202. C4 (along with C3 and C5) also helps power the diaphragm—the sheet of muscle that stretches to the bottom of the rib cage for breathing.1Magee DJ. Cervical Spine. In: Magee DJ, ed. Orthopedic Physical Assessment. 5th ed. St. Louis, MO. Saunders Elsevier; 2008: 130-202. The C4 dermatome covers parts of the neck, shoulders, and upper part of arms.2Felten DL, O’Banion MK, Maida MS. Peripheral Nervous System. In: Netter’s Atlas of Neuroscience. 3rd ed. Elsevier; 2016:153-231. doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-26511-9.00009-6
• C5 helps control the deltoids (which form the rounded contours of the shoulders) and the biceps (which allow bending of the elbow and rotation of the forearm).1Magee DJ. Cervical Spine. In: Magee DJ, ed. Orthopedic Physical Assessment. 5th ed. St. Louis, MO. Saunders Elsevier; 2008: 130-202. The C5 dermatome covers the outer part of the upper arm down to about the elbow.2Felten DL, O’Banion MK, Maida MS. Peripheral Nervous System. In: Netter’s Atlas of Neuroscience. 3rd ed. Elsevier; 2016:153-231. doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-26511-9.00009-6

  See All About the C2-C5 Spinal Motion Segments

• C6 helps control the wrist extensors (muscles that control wrist extension) and also provides some innervation to the biceps.1Magee DJ. Cervical Spine. In: Magee DJ, ed. Orthopedic Physical Assessment. 5th ed. St. Louis, MO. Saunders Elsevier; 2008: 130-202.,3Childress MA, Becker BA. Nonoperative management of cervical radiculopathy. Am Fam Physician. 2016; 93(9):746-54. The C6 dermatome covers the thumb side of the hand and forearm.2Felten DL, O’Banion MK, Maida MS. Peripheral Nervous System. In: Netter’s Atlas of Neuroscience. 3rd ed. Elsevier; 2016:153-231. doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-26511-9.00009-6

  See All About the C5-C6 Spinal Motion Segment

• C7 helps control the triceps (the large muscle on the back of the arm that straightens the elbow) and wrist extensor muscles.1Magee DJ. Cervical Spine. In: Magee DJ, ed. Orthopedic Physical Assessment. 5th ed. St. Louis, MO. Saunders Elsevier; 2008: 130-202.,3Childress MA, Becker BA. Nonoperative management of cervical radiculopathy. Am Fam Physician. 2016; 93(9):746-54. The C7 dermatome goes down the back of the arm and into the middle finger.2Felten DL, O’Banion MK, Maida MS. Peripheral Nervous System. In: Netter’s Atlas of Neuroscience. 3rd ed. Elsevier; 2016:153-231. doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-26511-9.00009-6

  See All About the C6-C7 Spinal Motion Segment

• C8 helps control the hands, such as finger flexion (handgrip).1Magee DJ. Cervical Spine. In: Magee DJ, ed. Orthopedic Physical Assessment. 5th ed. St. Louis, MO. Saunders Elsevier; 2008: 130-202.,3Childress MA, Becker BA. Nonoperative management of cervical radiculopathy. Am Fam Physician. 2016; 93(9):746-54. The C8 dermatome covers the pinky side of the hand and forearm.2Felten DL, O’Banion MK, Maida MS. Peripheral Nervous System. In: Netter’s Atlas of Neuroscience. 3rd ed. Elsevier; 2016:153-231. doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-26511-9.00009-6

  See All About the C7-T1 Spinal Segment (Cervicothoracic Junction)