The occipital bone (/ˌɒkˈsɪpɪtəl/) is a cranial dermal bone and the main bone of the occiput (back and lower part of the skull). It is trapezoidal in shape and curved on itself like a shallow dish.

What is the base of your head called?

The base of skull, also known as the cranial base or the cranial floor, is the most inferior area of the skull. It is composed of the endocranium and the lower parts of the skull roof.

What forms the base of the skull?

The 5 bones that make up the skull base are the ethmoid, sphenoid, occipital, paired frontal, and paired temporal bones. The skull base can be subdivided into 3 regions: the anterior, middle, and posterior cranial fossae.

What is the head area called?

The areas of the head include: the scalp, the infratemporal fossa, the pterygopalatine fossa, and the cranial fossae. Overlying the cranial bones, the scalp consists of 5 layers: skin, connective tissue (dense), aponeurosis, loose connective tissue and the periosteum.

What is the thing in your neck called?

The spinal column contains about two dozen inter-connected, oddly shaped, bony segments, called vertebrae. The neck contains seven of these, known as the cervical vertebrae. They are the smallest and uppermost vertebrae in the body.

What part of the head is the scalp?

The scalp is composed of soft tissue layers that cover the cranium. It is an anatomic region bordered anteriorly by the human face, and laterally and posteriorly by the neck. It extends from the superior nuchal lines and occipital turbulences to the supraorbital foramen.

What part is the crown of your head?

Where is the crown of your head? The crown of your head is located at the very top of your skull. You may also sometimes see it referred to as the vertex. Like other parts of your skull, the crown works to provide protection and support for the tissues of your head, including your brain.

Where is the base of skull located?

The skull base is located at the base of the brain. It sits behind the eyes and above the nasal cavity—the large empty space behind the nose—and slopes down to the back of the head.

What is the side of your head called?

The temple is a juncture where four skull bones fuse together: the frontal, parietal, temporal, and sphenoid. It is located on the side of the head behind the eye between the forehead and the ear.

Where is sphenoid?

The sphenoid is an unpaired bone. It sits anteriorly in the cranium, and contributes to the middle cranial fossa, the lateral wall of the skull, and the floor and sides of both orbits. It has articulations with twelve other bones: Unpaired bones – Occipital, vomer, ethmoid and frontal bones.

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What is vault skull?

The cranial vault is formed by the frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal bones, and the greater wings of the sphenoid bone. Frontal Bone. A vertical portion, which corresponds to the forehead, and an horizontal portion which is part of the skull base, forming the roofs of the orbital and nasal cavities.

What is the area under chin called?

The submental space is a fascial space of the head and neck (sometimes also termed fascial spaces or tissue spaces). It is a potential space located between the mylohyoid muscle superiorly, the platysma muscle inferiorly, under the chin in the midline.

What is the lower part of your throat called?

It consists of an upper part (nasopharynx), a middle part (oropharynx), and a lower part (hypopharynx). The throat is a muscular passageway through which food is carried to the esophagus and air is carried to the lungs.

What is the bone that sticks out of the back of your neck?

Unique Vertebra: C7 The seventh cervical vertebra, also called the vertebra prominens, is commonly considered a unique vertebra and has the most prominent spinous process. When feeling the back of the neck, the C7 vertebra’s spinous process (bony hump) sticks out more than the other cervical vertebrae.

What causes Trichodynia?

Because it often presents in conjunction with depression, anxiety disorders and body dysmorphic disorder, some researchers believe that it’s a psychological side effect of hair loss. It may also be caused by inflammation of hair follicles or increased presence of neuropeptide P on the scalp.

Does hair whorl mean balding?

The hair that grows in a circular pattern around a visible center point on the scalp is called a hair whorl. … Most patients refer to hair whorls as “bald spots,” but technically, they’re not the same. Bald spots are commonly caused by genetic male pattern hair loss.

What is under the scalp?

The scalp consists of 5 layers (seen in the image below): the skin, connective tissue, epicranial aponeurosis, loose areolar tissue, and pericranium. The first 3 layers are bound together as a single unit. This single unit can move along the loose areolar tissue over the pericranium, which is adherent to the calvaria.

Can a dirty scalp cause hair loss?

In short: yes. Scalp buildup can cause hair loss if left untreated and the dead skin, oil, and sweat clog your hair follicles. This can lead to an uncomfortable condition called folliculitis.

Why does crown of my head hurt?

Some that may cause pain around the crown of your head include: Tension-type headache: This is the most common type of headache. It’s caused by contraction of muscles in your head or neck in response to things like stress and lack of sleep. It may feel as if a band is being tightened around your head.

What is the weakest part of the skull?

The pterion is known as the weakest part of the skull. The anterior division of the middle meningeal artery runs underneath the pterion.

What is Apex head?

On the lateral side the head of fibula is a thick and rough prominence continued behind into a pointed eminence, the apex (styloid process), which projects upward from the posterior part of the head.

What are the parts of the human head?

• A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste, respectively. …
• Heads develop in animals by an evolutionary trend known as cephalization.

What is headache at base of skull?

What causes tension headaches? At the base of the skull, there is a group of muscles called the suboccipital muscles. They can cause headache pain for many people. These four pairs of muscles are responsible for subtle movements between the skull and first and second vertebrae in the neck.

Can you feel a skull base tumor?

Can You Feel a Skull Base Tumor? Typically not. Lumps on the head may be a sign of something else such as a head injury or other conditions. Those include a noncancerous cyst, an inflamed hair follicle, or a noncancerous skin tumor.

How do you release tension at the base of the skull?

Apply gentle pressure from your fingertips at the base of your skull. This massage can help calm tight muscles and release tension. You can also place a rolled towel under your head and neck as you lie down on your back. The pressure from the towel can provide a gentle massage.

Where is maxillary?

The maxilla is the bone that forms your upper jaw. The right and left halves of the maxilla are irregularly shaped bones that fuse together in the middle of the skull, below the nose, in an area known as the intermaxillary suture.

What is the purpose of the sphenoid sinus?

Sinuses are air-filled sacs (empty spaces) on either side of the nasal cavity that filter and clean the air breathed through the nose and lighten the bones of the skull.

Is sphenoid a facial bone?

The Viserocranium. The viscerocranium or facial bones supports the soft tissue of the face. The viscerocranium consists of 14 individual bones that fuse together. However, the hyoid bone, ethmoid bone, and sphenoid bones are sometimes included in the viscerocranium.

What is craniosynostosis?

Craniosynostosis is a birth defect in which the bones in a baby’s skull join together too early. This happens before the baby’s brain is fully formed. As the baby’s brain grows, the skull can become more misshapen.

What is Calvarial?

Definition of calvarium : the portion of a skull including the braincase and excluding the lower jaw or lower jaw and facial portion.

What is parietal eminence?

The parietal eminence (parietal tuber, parietal tuberosity) is a convex, smooth eminence on the external surface of the parietal bone of the skull. It is the site where intramembranous ossification of the parietal bone begins during embryological development.