Cervical spinal nerve 4

{{short description|Spinal nerve of the cervical segment}}

{{Infobox anatomy

| Name = Cervical spinal nerve

| Latin = nervi spinalis

| Image = Sobo 1909 702.png

| Caption = The plan of the cervical and brachial plexuses.

| Image2 = Sobo 1909 611.png

| Caption2 = The spinal cord with spinal nerves.

| System =

| Precursor =

}}

Cervical spinal nerve 4, also called C4, is a spinal nerve of the cervical segment. It originates from the spinal cord above the 4th cervical vertebra (C4). It contributes nerve fibers to the phrenic nerve, the motor nerve to the thoracoabdominal diaphragm. It also provides motor nerves for the longus capitis, longus colli, anterior scalene, middle scalene, and levator scapulae muscles.{{Cn|date=December 2023}} C4 contributes some sensory fibers to the supraclavicular nerves, responsible for sensation from the skin above the clavicle.{{Cite book |last=Sinnatamby |first=Chummy S. |title=Last's Anatomy |publisher= |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-7295-3752-0 |edition=12th |pages=333–335}} C4 and C5 are the areas that see the highest amount of cervical spine trauma.[https://www.nscisc.uab.edu/PublicDocuments/reports/pdf/2012%20NSCISC%20Annual%20Statistical%20Report%20Complete%20Public%20Version.pdf 2012 Annual Report] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222023936/https://www.nscisc.uab.edu/PublicDocuments/reports/pdf/2012%20NSCISC%20Annual%20Statistical%20Report%20Complete%20Public%20Version.pdf|date=2014-02-22}}, Table 64, page 66