Anatomy of the cervical spine

The cervical spine (cervical spine), consisting of 7 vertebrae (C1-C7), forms the upper part of the spinal column. The two uppermost vertebral bodies, the 1st and 2nd cervical vertebral bodies, also known as the atlas and axis, are special in their shape. They articulate with the skull bone and thus ensure the mobility of the head.The first cervical vertebra has no spinous process and sits on the so-called dens axis of the second cervical vertebra.

This construction allows the head greater mobility and stability. As in the entire spinal column, nerves emerge from the small holes between the individual vertebrae on the right and left, which eventually run further into the body and supply it with information or, conversely, send information back to the central nervous system. The nerves of the cervical spine supply the neck, chest, arms and also the diaphragm – an important breathing muscle.

The individual vertebral bodies are separated from the intervertebral discs, which distribute and buffer loads evenly. Seen physiologically from the side, the spinal column is shaped like a double mirror-inverted S: the cervical spine forms an arch forward (a so-called lordosis). A lordosis that is too strong is also called hyperlordosis. This occurs more frequently in the lumbar spine as a so-called hollow back. The article Entrapped nerve in the cervical spine may be of interest to you in this regard.

What is the cervical spine syndrome?

The so-called cervical spine syndrome is an umbrella term for all complaints in the region described above. Patients with a cervical spine syndrome can complain of very different problems. These range from painfully tense neck muscles, radiating nerve pain or sensory disturbances into the fingers, a feeling of instability in the cervical spine, headaches, dizziness, visual disturbances, lack of strength in the upper extremity and limited mobility.

Depending on the location of the sensation or loss of strength, conclusions can be drawn about the location of the damage to the cervical spine. The causes of the complaints can be simple bad posture, incorrect and excessive strain, wear and tear of the cartilage of the small vertebral joint – i.e. arthrosis, accident or injury, premature wear and tear of the intervertebral discs, or a herniated disc. A cervical spine syndrome can be based on either a structural or a functional problem. A functional problem is said to exist when, for example, the posture is incorrect, i.e. no structure is recognizably damaged. However, if the imaging examination reveals a change in the structures, this is referred to as a structural problem.