Introduction to Head and Neck Anatomy

1. Introduction to Head and Neck

The head and neck region is one of the most complex and vital areas of the human body. It houses critical sensory organs, the brain, major blood vessels, and structures essential for respiration, digestion, and communication. The study of this region provides insight into:

• Skeletal structures
• Soft tissues, including muscles, nerves, and vessels
• Functional compartments for protection, movement, and communication.

The head is the superior part of the body that is attached to the trunk by the neck. It is the control and communications centre as well as the “loading dock” for the body. It houses the brain; therefore, it is the site of our consciousness: ideas, creativity, imagination, responses, decision making, and memory. It includes special sensory receivers (eyes, ears, mouth, and nose), broadcast devices for voice and expression, and portals for the intake of fuel (food), water, and oxygen and the exhaust of carbon dioxide.

The head consists of the brain and its protective coverings (cranial vault and meninges), the ears, and the face. The face includes openings and passageways, with lubricating glands and valves (seals) to close some of them, the masticatory (chewing) devices, and the orbits that house the visual apparatus. The face also provides our identity as individuals. Disease, malformation, or trauma of structures in the head form the bases of many specialties, including dentistry, maxillofacial surgery, neurology, neuroradiology, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, oral surgery, otology, rhinology, and psychiatry.