Iysha Mariyam Rizvi
The cervical spine contains 7 bones, called the cervical vertebrae. These bones are stacked on top of one another and linked by discs, ligaments, and muscles. The vertebrae are numbered C1 through C7. The first vertebra, C1, is also called the atlas because it joins with the base of the skull and supports the head (just as Atlas supported the weight of the world in Greek mythology) [1]. C2, the second vertebra, is called the axis because the head and C1 swivel around it. These two vertebrae enable most neck movement.
To understand cervical spine surgery, it is important to know about neck anatomy, spinal conditions that can affect the cervical spine, and surgical goals and techniques used to address neck pain. This article will review that information, and it begins with a quick cervical spine anatomy lesson. It's important to know how your neck is supposed to function in order to better understand why you have pain, as well as what will be done to address your condition in surgery [2].
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