Neurology Articles: Picture of Spine

A picture of spine is displayed below.

It is a view from the side (lateral view).

From above downwards there are five distinct regions and they are cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and coccygeal areas.

The cervical part of the spine corresponds to the neck, thoracic to the chest and upper abdomen, lumbar, sacral and coccygeal parts correspond to the lower back area.

Human spine most often consists of 33 vertebrae (individual spine bone). They are distributed as cervical – 5, thoracic – 12, lumbar – 5, sacral – 5, and coccygeal usually 4. The 5 sacral vertebrae unit to form a single sacrum and 4 coccygeal vertebrae unite to form a single coccyx.

The spinal cord is lodged inside the spine in the spinal canal. The spinal nerve roots exit from the spine through holes named as neural foramina.

Spine and spinal cord are vulnerable by various disease conditions that include arthritis, tumors, traumas, disc herniations, disc bulges, pinching of the spinal nerve which is also called as radiculopathy, spinal cord infections, inflammatory conditions like multiple sclerosis, spinal cord infarctions etc to name few of them.

Along with a thorough clinical examination investigations like x ray of the spine and sometimes CAT scan or MRI scan of the spine and spinal cord may be needed to arrive at a precise diagnosis. Sometimes certain blood tests and specialized tests like EMG/Nerve conduction test, genetic tests, biopsy tests etc may also may be needed to arrive at the correct diagnosis.

The treatment of the spinal condition will depend upon the precise diagnosis and may include pain medications, physical therapy, steroid shots, TENS, surgical treatments etc. You may refer other articles in this site to read certain spinal conditions and the exact treatment of those conditions. And a neurologist is commonly involved in the management of spinal conditions.