The spinal column performs a lot of functions in a person: it protects the spinal cord, supports the body in space, serves as a fixator for organs and muscles, and also provides movement. It consists of individual elements called vertebrae. As they move away from the head, they carry a lot of weight and due to this they become larger and more massive.
The question of how many vertebrae a person has has been resolved for a long time. In total, a person has from 32 to 34, and they are separated from each other by intervertebral discs, due to which the movements of the body are provided. The spinal column is divided into several sections. The first section is called the cervical, the second - the thoracic, the third - the lumbar, then comes the sacral and coccygeal sections. The structure of each component of the spine is similar with the exception of a few differences. Significant differences have the first and second.
So how many vertebrae does a person have in each department? In the cervical, seven are distinguished, in the thoracic - twelve, the lumbar is represented by five massive vertebrae. Five sacral fused into a single monolith, which is called the sacrum. And here is the resttail consists of vertebrae, presented in quantities from three to five.
Each department has its own anatomical features. It is best to study the structure of the human spine in pictures. They can become an alternative to a natural preparation or a dummy. The vertebra is the simplest element that includes the human skeleton. The spine, despite its simplicity, is a very important part, injuries or damage to which can lead to serious consequences.
We have already found out how many vertebrae a person has, it remains only to briefly characterize each of them by department. The first cervical is called "atlas", the head is directly attached to it. He does not have a body, it has passed to the second cervical vertebra in the form of a tooth. Own body was preserved in other representatives of the cervical region. On the sides of the cervical vertebrae there are openings that form a canal. It contains an artery that feeds the brain. And the vertebrae themselves, together with representatives of other departments, limit the canal of the spinal cord, in which it actually passes.
In the thoracic region, the vertebrae are distinguished by the presence of pits. In these pits, ribs are attached, which form the chest together with the sternum. The vertebral bodies in this section are more massive, and there is no canal for the artery, there is only a canal for the spinal cord. The lumbar region bears almost the entire weight of the human body and has large and massive vertebrae.
After the lumbar comes the sacrum. This is a monolithic bone, it is involved in the formation of the pelvis. A large number of nerves come out of it, which go from holes both in the pelvic cavity and on the back. In the sacrum, a smooth pelvic surface (or anterior) and an uneven dorsal (or posterior) surface are distinguished. The answer to the question of how many vertebrae a person has in the coccygeal region is ambiguous - their number varies. This department is not important. Muscles are attached to it. The coccyx is able to deviate during childbirth in women, thereby increasing the size of the exit from the small pelvis.
