Dermatomes Link to Pain
What are Dermatomes? A dermatome is an area of skin in which sensory nerves derive from a single nerve root. The body is divided into specific regions called dermatomes. A dermatome refers to the part of the embryonic somite. The spinal cord is broken up into 31 dermatome segments. Each segment has a pair (left and right) of ventral (frontal) and dorsal (posterior) nerve roots; which relays motor and sensory nerve sensations, including pain. Combined on each side the anterior and posterior nerve roots form the spinal nerves as they exit the vertebral canal through the neuroforamina. The segments are composed of eight cervical, twelve thoracic, five lumbar, five sacral, and one coccygeal. Dermatomes exist for each of the nerve roots. Each specific dermatome transmits sensory information via the sensory…