Head and neck

• cranium and face - two subsections of the head
• cranium - houses and protects the brain and major sensory organs
• sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles - are two of the paired

  muscles that allow movement and provide support to the head and

  neck
• Trigeminal neuralgia - is manifested by sharp, shooting, piercing facial pains that last from seconds to minutes.
• stroke - Sudden weakness or numbness in the face, arms, or legs—especially on one side of the body—may indicate an impending...
• normocephalic - Round and has a normal size of head circumference.
• Neurologic disorders - may cause a horizontal jerking movement
• aortic insufficiency - An involuntary nodding movement may be seen in clients that have this
• unilateral vision, hearing deficiency, or shortening of the sternomastoid muscle - when the head is tilted to one side in the inspection for involuntary movement
• An acute urgent condition is seen when the temporal artery is hard, thick, and tender with inflammation, as seen with temporal arteritis (inflammation of the temporal arteries that may lead to blindness).
• When assessing TMJ syndrome, be sure to explore the client’s

  history of headaches, if any.
• The thyroid cartilage and cricoid cartilage move upward symmetrically as the client swallows.
• cervical curvature may increase because of kyphosis of the spine.
• fat may accumulate around the cervical vertebrae (especially in

  women). This is sometimes called a “dowager’s hump.
• Normally neck movement should be smooth and controlled with 45-degree flexion, 55-degree extension, 40-degree lateral abduction, and 70-degree rotation.
• The trachea is pushed to the unaffected side in case of a tumor,

  enlarged thyroid lobe, pneumothorax, or with an aortic aneurysm.
• The trachea may be pulled to the affected side in cases of large

  atelectasis, fibrosis, or pleural adhesions.
• A soft, blowing, swishing sound auscultated over the thyroid lobes is often heard in hyperthyroidism because of an increase in blood flow through the thyroid arteries.
• superficial cervical nodes - Lightly the portion palpate upper of the sternocleidomastoid muscle
• Posterior cervical node - Lightly palpate in posterior behind the triangle the sternocleidomastoid muscle
• Deep Cervical Nodes - Palpate the sternocleidomastoid muscle
• Superclavicular nodes - Lightly palpate above the clavicle
• Infraclavicular nodes - lightly palpate below the clavicle