Vertebral nerve

Vertebral nerve is a branch of the cervicothoracic (stellate) or inferior cervical ganglion which connects it with the ventral rami of sixth and seventh cervical (C6 and C7) spinal nerves. The vertebral nerve ascends through the transverse foramen of C6 cervical vertebrae, posteromedial to the vertebral artery, prior to connecting with the ventral rami of C6 and C7 spinal nerves. Some even consider the vertebral nerve to be additional deep gray ramus communicantes of the C6 and C7 cervical spinal nerves.

A few branches given off from the vertebral nerve include the articular branches to zygoapophyseal and intervertebral joints and meningeal branches to meninges of the neck region.

The anatomy of vertebral nerve is important to know in context of offering analgesia or vertebral nerve block for intractable neck pain.