Nerves of the Cervical Plexus
Phrenic Nerve (motor branch)
*Major nerve of the cervical plexus, the danger of a broken neck is the severing of the nerve which would paralyze the diaphragm Ventral Rami: C3-C5 Serves: Diaphragm (C3-C5 keeps the diaphragm alive)
Ansa cervicalis (motor branch)
Ventral Rami: C1-C3 Serves: Infrahyoid muscles of neck
Segmental (motor branch)
Ventral Rami: C1-C5 Serves: deep muscles of the neck (scalenes, thyrohoid, etc.)
Lesser Occipital (cutaneous branch)
Ventral Rami: C2 Serves: skin of posterolateral aspect of neck
Greater auricular (cutaneous branch)
Ventral Rami: C2 & C3 Serves: skin of ear, and over parotid gland
Transverse cervical (cutaneous branch)
Ventral Rami: C2 & C3 Serves: skin on anterior and lateral aspect of neck
Supraclavicular (cutaneous branch)
Ventral Rami: C3 & C4 Serves: skin of shoulder and clavicular region
Intro
arise from the ventral rami of C1 to C5 supply muscles of the shoulder and neck