Body Dermatome Mapdermatomes Nclex Radiculopathy Occupational Therapy Printable Map Of

Body Dermatome Mapdermatomes Nclex Radiculopathy Occupational Therapy Printable Map OfThe term “dermatome” is a mix of 2 Ancient Greek words; “derma” implying “skin”, and “tome”, meaning “cutting” or “thin segment”. It is a location of skin which is innervated by the posterior (dorsal) root of a single spinal nerve. As posterior roots are organized in sections, dermatomes are as well. This is why the term “dermatome” refers to the segmental innervation of the skin.

Body Dermatome Mapdermatomes Nclex Radiculopathy Occupational Therapy Printable Map Of

Dermatome Map Dermatome Map – Dermatome Map Dermatome Map

Surrounding dermatomes often, if not constantly overlap to some degree with each other, as the sensory peripheral branches representing one posterior root usually surpass the limit of their dermatome. As such, the thin lines seen in the dermatome maps are more of a medical guide than a real boundary. Body Dermatome Mapdermatomes Nclex Radiculopathy Occupational Therapy Printable Map Of

This suggests that if a single spinal nerve is affected, there is most likely still some degree of innervation to that segment of skin coming from above and below. For a dermatome to be completely numb, normally two or 3 neighboring posterior roots need to be affected. In addition, it’s important to keep in mind that dermatomes go through a big degree of interindividual variation. A visual representation of all the dermatomes on a body surface chart is described as a dermatome map. Body Dermatome Mapdermatomes Nclex Radiculopathy Occupational Therapy Printable Map Of

Dermatome maps

Dermatome maps illustrate the sensory distribution of each dermatome throughout the body. Clinicians can assess cutaneous experience with a dermatome map as a way to localize sores within main anxious tissue, injury to particular back nerves, and to figure out the degree of the injury. Several dermatome maps have actually been established for many years but are often clashing.

The most commonly used dermatome maps in significant books are the Keegan and Garrett map (1948) which leans towards a developmental analysis of this concept, and the Foerster map (1933) which correlates much better with scientific practice. This post will review the dermatomes utilizing both maps, determining and comparing the major distinctions between them.

Why Are Dermatomes Important?

To understand dermatomes, it is important to understand the anatomy of the spinal column. The spinal column is divided into 31 sections, each with a pair (right and left) of posterior and anterior nerve roots. The types of nerves in the anterior and posterior roots are different.

Anterior nerve roots are accountable for motor signals to the body, and posterior nerve roots get sensory signals like pain or other sensory signs. The anterior and posterior nerve roots integrate on each side to form the spine nerves as they leave the vertebral canal (the bones of the spinal column, or foundation).