Fourth cervical vertebra

Looks like

A typical neck vertebra (C4) in the middle of the neck, with a small body, side holes for the vertebral artery and a forked spine.

What it does

Carries the head's weight and allows neck movement while sheltering the spinal cord.

Keeping it well

The C4 nerve helps drive the diaphragm. Neck pain spreading to the shoulder top can come from this level.

Related conditions

• Acromegaly
• Fractures
• Fragility fracture
• Frailty & falls in older age
• Hyperparathyroidism
• Neck pain and cervical spondylosis
• Osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease)
• Osteomalacia & rickets
• Osteomyelitis (bone infection)
• Osteoporosis
• Paget's disease of bone
• Sarcoma
• Vitamin B1, C and other deficiencies
• Vitamin D deficiency
• Whiplash
• Wry neck (torticollis)