Case Scenario

Mr. Chan (40 years old) is a computer programmer and needs tospend long periods on computer work during daily work. He went tothe clinic and complaint that he has neck pain over the past twomonths. He also had the feeling of pain and numbness radiate fromthe neck into the right shoulder and right arm, and numbness overhis thumb. Physical examination revealed pain and numbness wasmainly over right deltoid and biceps brachii muscles, and over thelateral side of the thumb. Report from the magnetic resonanceimaging showed that the spinal canal in his cervical vertebralcolumn was narrowed. After initial management, the doctor sent Mr.Chan to your team for further follow up. Your supervisor told youto give Mr. Chan an introduction of the spinal structure at neckregion.

Please answer according to the following guidance:

1. List the name and numbers of vertebral column in 5 regions.Compare and contrast three main characteristics of typical cervicalvertebra, thoracic vertebra, and lumbar vertebra.

2. How does the intervertebral foramen formed and what contentscan be found in the vertebral canal?

3. How many cervical spine nerves do we have? When a cervicalspinal nerve exits the spinal cord through the intervertebralforamen, what’s the relationship of this nerve with itscorresponding vertebra? How about the relationship of the spinalnerves in thoracic and lumbar regions with their correspondingvertebrae?

4. In Mr. Chan’s case, name the nerve roots which werecompressed that resulted in the pain and numbness. State thereasons that support your answer.