If you look at a human spine diagram or vertebral column illustration, you will see a lot of different things. Some of them may be strange or unfamiliar to you. Here is a brief discussion of what you will see, in hopes of giving you a basic understanding.

Your back bones are called vertebrae and there are thirty three of them in a normal person. The top section of bones in the column runs from the head to the mid back. This is called the cervical region and is most often associated with the neck.

There are seven vertebrae in the cervical region of the vertebral column. In many illustrations you will see them numbered C1 through C7. C1 is the very top one, and C7 is the last. “C” stands for cervical. Cervical vertebrae are smallest and lightest in this area.

The mid region of the vertebral column is the thoracic area. The thoracic region contains twelve vertebrae and they are numbered T1 through T12, and T stands for thoracic. These vertebrae are also referred to as dorsal vertebrae. The thoracic area is a very strong point of your back. This is because you have the rib cage lending it support.

If you look at the bottom part of the spinal illustration, you will see the lumbar region. There are five bones and they are numbered from L1 to L5. The lumbar region contains the strongest of all the vertebrae, as they support the most weight.

After the lumbar region is the sacral area with its five vertebrae. However, they are fused when you become mature. At the very end is the coccyx or the tailbone. The coccyx usually has four fused tail vertebrae.

Between the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae are disks. Disks are made from a soft gelatinous substance that serves more than one purpose. The disks allow the vertebrae to move and glide and provide flexibility to the entire column of vertebrae.

Disks are also important because they act as shock absorbers for the bones. They protect the bones from rubbing together and causing problems. This is why back problems involving disks can be painful and troublesome.

The main purpose of the vertebral column is to support and house the spinal canal. The spinal canal is formed by hollow areas in the vertebrae. An entire series of nerves and blood vessels flows through your spinal area.

Nerves in the spinal region run from the brain to all areas of the body. They help to nourish body regions and also allow information to flow from one area to another. If there is a problem or misalignment with vertebrae, it can cause many problems in different body regions.

In conclusion, your spinal column contains thirty three bones that are known as vertebrae. You have five regions and they are the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccyx. These bones are cushioned by soft material called disks. The structure houses and supports your spinal canal. Through this area nerves and blood vessels serve all parts of your body. This is why it is important to understand a human spine diagram.