What are dermatomas and where are they?
Dermatomas are certain areas of the body inert by a nerve that leaves the spine.The spine is composed of 33 vertebrae and 31 pairs of nerves distributed throughout the body, in an organized way.
- Every nerve that leaves the spine is responsible for transmitting sensitivity and strength to a certain area of the body.
- So whenever a compression or cut of a nerve is produced a certain area of the body is compromised.
- It is possible to identify which part of the spinal cord has been affected by compression.
- Trauma.
- Or a herniated disk.
- When a person says they feel tingling.
- Weakness.
- Or inability to move an arm or side of the foot.
- For example.
In total there are 31 dermatomas that divide as if they were slices, as shown in the following image:
The best way to identify all dermatomas in the body is to observe a person in the 4-bracket position, because this way the “cuts” are easier to perceive.Here are the main dermatomas of the body:
The dermatoma map is usually used by doctors and physical therapists to identify changes or compressions in the spinal cord, because if sensitivity changes in a certain area of the body, it is easier to identify where the spine is compromised, for example.trauma or a herniated disk, for example.
In addition, dermatomas can also be used in alternative therapies, such as acupuncture or reflexology, to directly stimulate certain locations of the spinal cord or other organs inert by the corresponding pair of nerves, so the acupuncturist can insert a needle into the spine., to relieve pain and discomfort that occur in other areas of the body.
Dermatomas refer to sensory changes in the skin, while myotomas are responsible for muscle movements in the same region.The table below shows some examples:
Thus, when the person experiences numbness on the side of the foot, it is most likely that there is an alteration of the spine, specifically between the vertebrae L5 and S1, because it is his dermatoma, but when he has weakness and difficulty bending the arm spine, the affected area is the cervical, especially C6 and C7, because this area is his myotoma.