The cervical spine consists of seven cervical vertebrae. The first cervical vertebra is called the atlas. Similar to the ancient Greek hero Atlas, who held the sky on his shoulders, the atlas vertebra is connected to the occipital bone by two joints and supports the skull.

The second cervical vertebra is also special—it has an upward-pointing odontoid process (dens), on which the atlas is essentially “threaded.” Thanks to this unique joint between the atlas and the dens of the second vertebra, we can rotate our heads with a large range of motion.

The remaining five cervical vertebrae are connected by discs and processes. Together, these vertebrae form the cervical spine, which is the most mobile and vulnerable part of the entire spine.

Blood vessels and nerves of the cervical spine

The cervical vertebrae, joined together, form the spinal canal, which begins at the foramen magnum (large opening at the base of the skull). Here, the brain transitions into the spinal cord, which runs down through the spinal canal. At the level of each vertebra, a pair of nerve roots exit the spinal cord, passing through the intervertebral foramina (openings between vertebrae) and forming nerves. Cervical nerve roots transmit nerve signals to the tissues of the neck, arms, and muscles of the upper thoracic region.

In the transverse processes of the cervical vertebrae (from the second to the sixth), there is an opening on each side for the vertebral artery, which collectively forms a canal for the artery. The vertebral artery supplies blood to the brain. Therefore, any pressure or irritation of the vertebral artery or the surrounding nerve plexus (for example, due to cervical osteochondrosis or cervical vertebra instability) can cause insufficient blood flow to the brain and lead to dizziness, headaches, coordination problems, visual disturbances, tinnitus, and other symptoms.

Among the soft tissues surrounding the cervical spine is a large cluster of autonomic nervous system ganglia (which regulate vital functions such as blood pressure, pulse, breathing, etc.). Thus, issues in the cervical vertebrae can contribute to various autonomic disorders (e.g., autonomic-vascular dystonia).

Muscles of the cervical spine

The muscles of the cervical spine stabilize and move the cervical vertebrae. Most of these muscles are relatively thin and richly innervated, so any harsh impact—such as a sudden movement, cold exposure, excessive or prolonged strain, or awkward posture—can cause painful muscle spasms and limit neck mobility. The muscular corset of the cervical spine maintains proper posture—normally a slight forward curve called cervical lordosis—which provides shock absorption. If the cervical lordosis straightens or reverses into kyphosis (curving backward), the load on the cervical vertebrae, discs, and ligaments increases.

Diseases of the cervical spine

Various congenital anomalies can occur in the cervical spine, such as an extra cervical rib (elongation of the transverse process of the seventh cervical vertebra), Kimmerle anomaly (where the groove for the vertebral artery on the atlas transforms into a canal), and others.

Cervical osteochondrosis causes arthrosis of the intervertebral joints, bone spurs (osteophytes, commonly called “calcium deposits”), as well as disc protrusions and herniations.

Instability of the cervical vertebrae can develop due to insufficient muscle support. During neck movements, cervical vertebrae may shift relative to each other. Even minimal instability can irritate nerve endings, cause reflex muscle and vessel spasms, and manifest as neck pain, pain between the shoulder blades, headaches, dizziness, and more.

Treatment of cervical spine diseases

When diseases related to the cervical spine are detected, individualized treatment programs are developed under neurologist supervision at our center. Physical rehabilitation in such cases aims to reduce painful muscle spasms, increase neck mobility, improve cerebral and cervical tissue blood flow, and strengthen the neck muscles over time.

If necessary, medication, cervical traction, physiotherapy, manual therapy, acupuncture, and hirudotherapy (leech therapy) are used. For preventive and therapeutic purposes, group sessions of cervical gymnastics are also conducted.