#8 Head and Neck

• Head and neck assessment focuses on the...

  Cranium

  Face

  Thyroid gland

  Lymph nodes
• Normocephalic


  Normal head size
• Cranium

  F - Frontal (1)

  P - Parietal (2)

  T - temporal (2)

  O - Occipital (1)

  E - Ethmoid (1)

  S - sphenoid (1)
• Face

  M - MAXILLA (2)

  Z - ZYGOMATIC (CHEEK) (2)

  I - INFERIOR CHONCHAE (2)

  N - NASAL (2)

  L - LACRIMAL (2)

  P - PALATINE(2)

  V - VOMER (1)

  M - MANDIBLE (JAW) (1)
• Infants


  Developmental considerations
• Fontanels (soft spots)


  Anterior and posterior fontanels
• 6months


  Voluntary head control should be present at this age
• Head

  Cranium

  Face
• Neck

  Muscle and cervical vertebrae

  Blood vessels

  Thyroid gland
• Muscles and cervical vertebrae -> Sternocleidomastoid muscle


  rotates and flexes the head
• Muscles and cervical vertebrae -> Trapezius muscle


  Extends the head

  Moves the shoulder
• Muscles and cervical vertebrae -> 11th cranial nerve (spinal accessory nerve)


  Muscle movements that permits shrugging of the shoulders
• Muscles and cervical vertebrae -> cervical vertebrae

  C1 - ATLAS

  C2 - AXIS

  Up to C7
• Blood vessels


  Internal and/or external jugular vein

  Carotid arteries
• Blood vessels nursing consideration

  Avoid bilaterally compressing the carotid arteries when assessing the neck -> reduce blood supply to the brain
• Thyroid Gland

  Largest endocrine gland producing thyroid hormones (T3, T4, and Thyrocalcitonin)-> increases metabolic rate for most body cells
• Points of reference for accurate thyroid palpation

  Tracheea

  Cricoid cartilage

  Thyroid cartilage (Adam's apple for male)
• Common thyroid disorders

  Hypothyroidism

  hyperthyroidism (thyrotoxicosis)
• Sections

  Head

  Neck

  Lymph nodes of head an neck
• Lymph nodes

  These filter lymph -> clear substance composed mostly of excess tissue fluid which may or may not contain bacteria or tumor cells
• Lymph nodes also produces...

  Lymphocytes and antibodies as defense against foreign microbes of substances
• Lymph nodes are normally not palpable but may become overwhelmed with filtrates or microbes leading to painful swelling on palpation
• Common types of lymph nodes

  P - Preauricular

  P - Postauricular

  T - Tonsillar

  O - Occipital

  S - Submandibular

  S - Submental

  S - Superficial cervical

  P - Posterior cervical

  D - Deep cervical

  S - Supraclavicular