A patient comes to the clinic complaining of neck and shoulder pain and is unable to turn her head. Which nerve does the nurse suspect is damaged and how should the nurse proceed with the examination?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The major neck muscles are the sternomastoid and the trapezius. They are innervated by CN XI, the spinal accessory. The innervated muscles assist with head rotation and head flexion, movement of the shoulders, and extension and turning of the head. To assess the function of cranial nerve XI the nurse should have the patient shrug their shoulders against resistance. Cranial nerve XII is the hypoglossal nerve which innervates the muscles of the tongue involved with speech and swallowing and is not involved in head movement. Identifying the anterior and posterior triangles are helpful guidelines when describing findings in the neck but palpating them does not assess any cranial nerves.

A Patient Comes to the Clinic Complaining of Neck and Shoulder