Neck

The neck is the part of the body on many limbed vertebrates that distinguishes the head from the torso or trunk.

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Bony anatomy: The cervical spine

The cervical portion of the human spine comprises seven bony segments, typically referred to as C-1 to C-7, with cartilaginous disks between each vertebral body. From top to bottom the cervical spine is gently curved in convex-forward fashion.

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Soft tissue anatomy

In the middle line below the chin can be felt the body of the hyoid bone, just below which is the prominence of the thyroid cartilage called "Adam's apple," better marked in men than in women. Still lower the cricoid cartilage is easily felt, while between this and the suprasternal notch the trachea and isthmus of the thyroid gland may be made out. At the side the outline of the sterno-mastoid muscle is the most striking mark; it divides the anterior triangle of the neck from the posterior. The upper part of the former contains the submaxillary gland, which lies just below the posterior half of the body of the jaw. The line of the common and the external carotid arteries may be marked by joining the sterno-clavicular articulation to the angle of the jaw.

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The eleventh or spinal accessory nerve corresponds to a line drawn from a point midway between the angle of the jaw and the mastoid process to the middle of the posterior border of the sterno-mastoid muscle and thence across the posterior triangle to the deep surface of the trapezius. The external jugular vein can usually be seen through the skin; it runs in a line drawn from the angle of the jaw to the middle of the clavicle, and close to it are some small lymphatic glands. The anterior jugular vein is smaller, and runs down about half an inch from the middle line of the neck. The clavicle or collar-bone forms the lower limit of the neck, and laterally the outward slope of the neck to the shoulder is caused by the trapezius muscle.

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Body: With regard to living things, a body is the integral physical material of an individual, and contrasts with soul, personality and behavior....

Vertebrates: REDIRECT Vertebrate...

Head: :For other uses of the word head, see head (disambiguation)....

Neck related Images and Photos (experimental)

Long Neck	Women's: V-Neck- John 3:16	Office Space - Neck Tie	Women's: V-Neck- Route 66
Women's: V-Neck- Motorcycle	Cylon V-Neck Babydoll	Aperture Thermal Neck Wrap	Women's: V-Neck- Freebird Lyrics
NBC V-Neck Doodle Women's T-Shirt	Spy Net Flex Neck Snake Cam	Women's: V-Neck- Save The Whales	Two Charioteers Race Neck-And- Neck with Each Other in a Roman Circus