What does C2 and C3 innervate?
Lesser occipital nerve – innervates the skin and the scalp posterosuperior to the auricle (C2) Great auricular nerve – innervates skin near concha auricle (outer ear) and external acoustic meatus (ear canal) (C2&C3) Transverse cervical nerve – innervates anterior region of neck (C2 and C3)
What nerve Innervates the facet joints?
The facet joints of T1–T2 are innervated by the medial branches of C8 and T1. This pattern continues in the lumbar spine. Of note, the anatomy of the L5–S1 facet joint differs from its lumbar counterparts. It is innervated by the medial branch of L4 and the dorsal ramus of L5.
What does C3 nerve innervate?
Motor. On the other hand, the motor branches of the cervical plexus form the ansa cervicalis (C1-C3), which is a nerve loop innervating the infrahyoid muscles in the anterior cervical triangle. They also form the phrenic nerve (C3-C5) which supplies the diaphragm and the pericardium of the heart.
Where are the C2 and C3 nerves?
The C2 nerve provides sensation to the upper area of your head; C3 gives sensation to the side of your face and back of your head. Cervical nerve 4 controls your upward shoulder motion and is one of the nerves that controls your diaphragm (muscle at the bottom of your rib cage that helps you breathe).
What muscles are innervated by C2?
Outside of the cervical plexus, the several muscles are innervated directly by upper cervical nerve roots[11][12][13]: C1 to C2: Rectus capitis anterior/lateralis. C1 to C3/4/5: Longus capitis. C2/3 to C4: Trapezius (sensory)
Does C2 have a facet joint?
This segment provides rotational motion, supports the head, and protects the spinal cord and nerve pathways. The C1 and C2 vertebrae are connected in the back by a pair of facet joints.
Are there nerves in facet joints?
Each facet joint is innervated by two small nerves (dually innervated) – paired medial branches of the posterior ramus (dorsal primary rami) of the spinal nerves. [2],[3] The facet receives a medial branch from the spinal nerve above the facet and the nerve below.
What nerves affect C2?
Nerves in the cervical spine Cervical nerves C1, C2 and C3 control your forward, backward and side head and neck movements. The C2 nerve provides sensation to the upper area of your head; C3 gives sensation to the side of your face and back of your head.
What does C2 supply?
It originates from the spinal column from above the cervical vertebra 2 (C2). it innervates the rectus capitis anterior and rectus capitis lateralis muscles, and provides sensory nerves to the trapezius.
What innervates the C2-C3 facet joint?
Two branches of the dorsal ramus of the third cervical spinal nerve innervate the C2-C3 facet joint, a communicating branch and a medial branch known as the third occipital nerve. The remaining cervical facets, C3-C4 to C7-T1, are supplied by the dorsal rami medial branches that arise one level cephalad and caudad to the joint 30).
Do facet C2 and C3 cause pain in the shoulder area?
Typically, the upper facets (C2-3 and C3-4) cause pain at the base of the skull and headaches (greater and lesser occipital nerves). They will not radiate pain into the shoulder in my experience.
Are the c2-3 facet joints of the cervical spine fused?
The C2-3 facet joints were evaluated on lateral cervical spine radiographs and graded “normal” (category 1), “indistinct” (category 2), or “fused” (category 3), relative to the C3-4 level. The accompanying CT scans were reviewed for the presence of fusion and the angle of orientation of the facet joints relative to the axial and coronal planes.
Can c2-3 and C3-4 joints cause headaches?
The upper cervical joints (C2-3 and C3-4) can cause headaches along with local pain due to their proximity to two particular nerves; the greater occipital nerve-C2 and the lesser occipital nerve- C3 (AKA greater auricular nerve). The greater occipital nerve originates from C2 and radiates up over the skull to end at the forehead.