Abridged Anatomy: Dermatomes

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Here is what you can expect from today’s edition:

• What are dermatomes?

• News: How to tackle winter/holiday tasks to manage chronic pain symptoms

What Are Dermatomes?

Dermatomes are specific regions of the skin that are innervated by sensory nerves from a single spinal nerve root. These nerve roots originate from the spinal cord and branch out to supply different areas of the skin. Understanding dermatomes can help diagnose and localize nerve conditions or injuries.

Let’s review the distribution of each dermatome in the body as show in the image above:

• C2 Dermatome:

  • Location: Occipital region and the upper neck.

  • Sensory Distribution: Back of the head.

• C3 Dermatome:

  • Location: Upper neck and lateral neck.

  • Sensory Distribution: Lateral neck and the region just below the jaw.

• C4 Dermatome:

  • Location: Lower neck and upper shoulders.

  • Sensory Distribution: Upper shoulder and collarbone area.

• C5 Dermatome:

  • Location: Upper shoulder and lateral arm.

  • Sensory Distribution: Lateral upper arm and the region just below the shoulder.

• C6 Dermatome:

  • Location: Lateral arm, thumb, and index finger.

  • Sensory Distribution: Thumb, index finger, and lateral forearm.

• C7 Dermatome:

  • Location: Middle finger and posterior arm.

  • Sensory Distribution: Middle finger, the back of the hand, and the posterior arm.

• C8 Dermatome:

  • Location: Little finger and medial arm.

  • Sensory Distribution: Little finger, medial hand, and medial arm.

• T1 Dermatome:

  • Location: Medial arm and axilla (armpit).

  • Sensory Distribution: Axilla and the medial upper arm.

• T2 Dermatome:

  • Location: T2 is situated just below the T1 dermatome on the upper chest.

  • Sensory Distribution: It covers a portion of the upper chest below T1.

• T3 Dermatome:

  • Location: T3 is located just below T2 on the upper chest.

  • Sensory Distribution: This dermatome covers the upper chest region below T2.

• T4 Dermatome:

  • Location: T4 is found below T3 on the chest.

  • Sensory Distribution: It covers the chest region below T3.

• T5 Dermatome:

  • Location: T5 is situated on the chest, slightly lateral (toward the sides) to the previous levels.

  • Sensory Distribution: It covers the chest on the sides, just below T4.

• T6 Dermatome:

  • Location: T6 is located slightly below T5 on the chest and extending laterally.

  • Sensory Distribution: Covers the chest on the sides, below T5.

• T7 Dermatome:

  • Location: T7 is below T6 on the chest and extends to the upper abdominal region.

  • Sensory Distribution: It covers the chest and upper abdominal area.

• T8 Dermatome:

  • Location: T8 is located just below T7, covering the upper abdominal region.

  • Sensory Distribution: This dermatome covers the upper abdomen.

• T9 Dermatome:

  • Location: T9 is situated below T8 on the upper abdomen.

  • Sensory Distribution: It covers the upper abdomen just below T8.

• T10 Dermatome:

  • Location: T10 is found just below T9, covering the abdomen.

  • Sensory Distribution: Covers the abdomen below T9.

• T11 Dermatome:

  • Location: T11 is located below T10 on the abdomen.

  • Sensory Distribution: It covers the abdomen below T10.

• T12 Dermatome:

  • Location: T12 is situated on the abdomen, just above the waistline.

  • Sensory Distribution: Covers the abdomen just above the waist.

• L1 Dermatome:

  • Location: L1 is the highest lumbar dermatome, located near the inguinal ligament at the front of the hip.

  • Sensory Distribution: It covers the upper front part of the thigh, just below the hip.

• L2 Dermatome:

  • Location: L2 is just below L1, covering the upper thigh and the upper part of the inner thigh.

  • Sensory Distribution: It covers the upper thigh and the inner thigh.

• L3 Dermatome:

  • Location: L3 extends from the front of the thigh, below L2, down to the knee.

  • Sensory Distribution: This dermatome covers the front and inner part of the thigh, and it extends to the knee.

• L4 Dermatome:

  • Location: L4 is located on the front of the thigh, extending down to the knee and slightly below.

  • Sensory Distribution: It covers the front of the thigh, knee, and a small portion of the lower leg.

• L5 Dermatome:

  • Location: L5 covers the front and lateral (outer) part of the lower leg, extending from the knee to the ankle.

  • Sensory Distribution: It includes the front and outer part of the lower leg, shin, and the top of the foot.

• S1-S5 Dermatomes:

  • Location: Cover the buttocks, genitals, and the back of the thigh and calf, as well as the sole of the foot.

  • Sensory Distribution: Buttocks, genitals, back of the thigh and calf, and sole of the foot.

• Co1 Dermatome:

  • Location: Corresponds to the coccyx (tailbone) area.

  • Sensory Distribution: Coccyx and the surrounding skin.

Each dermatome is associated with a specific spinal nerve root. For example, the C6 dermatome corresponds to the spinal nerve root exiting the sixth cervical (C6) vertebra. These dermatomes play a critical role in diagnosing and localizing sensory deficits or neurological issues. If a person experiences altered sensation, pain, or other symptoms in a particular dermatomal pattern, healthcare professionals can use this information to help pinpoint the location of a neurological problem, such as a pinched nerve or herniated disc.

It's important to note that while dermatomes provide a general guideline for sensory innervation, there can be some individual variation. Additionally, the sensory distribution can overlap between adjacent dermatomes, so these patterns are not always perfectly distinct.

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About the Author

Les is an invaluable member of the team! He is the Lead Writer for the Field Guide to Back and Neck Pain newsletter. However, Les Payne is just a Pen Name to protect the identity of our expert Lead Writer who is an actively practicing, board-certified expert in the treatment and prevention of back and neck pain as well as other acute and chronic pain conditions. He has years of experience in this field and has treated over 15,000 patients with pain of all kinds!

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