Clinical Testing of Spinal Nerves Flashcards
Describe somatic general sensory supply of spinal nerves.
- Provided by sensation specific receptors in all body wall structures.
What senses are experienced via somatic general sensory supply?
- Touch.
- Temperature.
- Proprioception.
- Vibration.
- Pain.
Describe somatic motor function of spinal nerves.
Somatic motor axons synapse on all body wall skeletal muscle fibres - e.g. to enable locomotion.
Describe sympathetic motor function of spinal nerves.
- Motor supply to organs.
- Sympathetic axons carried on spinal nerves.
- Synapse on the glands of the body wall and smooth muscle fibres.
What carries sympathetic axons?
Spinal nerves.
Where do sympathetic axons synapse?
- Body wall glands.
- Smooth muscle fibres.
How do spinal reflexes arise?
Spinal cord allows for segmental synapses between somatic sensory axons and somatic motor axons.
Where do posterior rami supply skin?
Central strip down the back and posterior neck.
Anterior rami form which plexuses?
- Cervical.
- Brachial.
- Lumbar.
- Sacral.
The lower anterolateral trunk wall is supplied by what nerves?
Iliohypogastric and ilioinguinal.nerves.
Iliohypogastric and ilioinguinal nerves are formed from the anterior ramus of which spinal nerve?
L1
Femoral nerve roots.
L2-L4.
What type of axons are found in the femoral nerve?
- Sensory, motor and sympathetic.
How many true dermatomes does the area of cutaneous innervation of the femoral nerve cross?
L2-4 i.e. 3 true dermatomes.
Anterolaterally, the neck skin is supplied by what?
Cervical plexus.
Cervical plexus arises from anterior rami of which spinal nerves?
C1-4.
Posterior neck and scalp skin is mainly supplied by the posterior rami of which spinal nerves?
C2-C8.
What is the “nerve point” of the neck?
Where sensory nerves of cervical plexus converge ans pass from superficial to deep fascia.
Where is the “nerve point” of the neck found?
At the midpoint of the posterior border of sternocleidomastoid.
What supplies the skin posterior to the external ear?
Lesser occipital branch of C2.
What supplies the skin over the angle of the mandible and some of the external ear?
Great auricular nerve - C2,3.
What supplies the skin over the anterior neck?
Transverse cervical C2,3.
What supplies the skin over the clavicle and the “shoulder tip”?
Supraclavicular nerves C3,4.
What nerve is responsible for the referred pain from the diaphragm to the shoulder?
Supraclavicular nerves C3,4.
LITTLE GOATS TREAD SOFTLY.
- Lesser occipital.
- Greater auricular.
- Transverse cervical.
- Supraclavicular.
- Named nerve cutaneous innervation of anterolateral neck.
The anatomical snuff box is supplied by the cutaneous branches of which nerve?
Radial nerve.
Radial nerve roots.
C5-T1.
Anterior rami of which nerve roots are important for referred pain from the myocardium?
T1 and T2.
When testing sensory function of a peripheral nerve, to which part of the spinal cord does the action potential ultimately enter?
Posterior horn.
What should you examine to test the C1-4 motor axons (myotomes) of the cervical plexus?
- Neck postural and strap muscles.
- Diaphragm.
What should you examine to test the C5-T1 motor axons (myotomes) of the brachial plexus?
- Muscles of the upper limb.
- Extrinsic back muscles that move the upper limb or scapula.
What should you examine to test the motor axons (myotomes) of T2-L3?
- Postural back muscles (posterior rami).
- Intercostal muscles (anterior rami).
- Anterolateral abdominal wall muscles.
Motor axons of the Lumbosacral plexus L1-S4 supply what?
- Muscles of the lower limb.
- Perineal skeletal muscles.
The area of motor innervation of the femoral nerve crosses how many true myotomes?
3.
- L2, L3 and L4 spinal nerves.
How to test C5 myotome?
Shoulder abduction.
Which muscle is tested for C5 myotome (shoulder abduction)?
Deltoid.
How to test C6 myotome?
Elbow flexion.
Which muscle is tested for C6 myotome (elbox flexion)?
Biceps brachii.
How to test the C7 myotome?
Elbow extension.
Which muscle is tested for C7 myotome (elbow extension)?
Triceps brachii.
How to test the C8 myotome?
Finger flexion.
Which muscle is tested for C8 myotome (finger flexion)?
Flexor digitorum superficialis.