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