great auricular nerve

The great auricular nerve is the largest of the ascending branches of the cervical plexus.{{Cite book |last=Standring |first=Susan |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1201341621 |title=Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice |year=2020 |isbn=978-0-7020-7707-4 |edition=42nd |location=[New York] |oclc=1201341621}}

It arises from the second and third cervical (spinal) nerves (C2-C3), with the predominant contribution coming from C2.{{Cite book |last=Sinnatamby |first=Chummy S. |title=Last's Anatomy |publisher= Elsevier Australia|year=2011 |isbn=978-0-7295-3752-0 |edition=12th |pages=334–335}}

The great auricular nerve is a large trunk that ascends almost vertically over the sternocleidomastoid. It winds around the posterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, then perforates the deep fascia before ascending alongside the external jugular vein upon that sternocleidomastoid muscle beneath the platysma muscle to the parotid gland. Upon reaching the parotid gland, it divides into an anterior branch and a posterior branch.

Anterior branch

The anterior branch (or facial branch{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}}) is distributed to the skin of the face over the parotid gland.

It communicates with the facial nerve (CN VII) inside the parotid gland.

Posterior branch

The posterior branch (or mastoid branch{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}}) innervates the skin over the mastoid process, on the back of the auricle (save for its upper part), of the lobule, and of the lower part of the concha.

The posterior branch communicates with the lesser occipital nerve, the auricular branch of the vagus, and the posterior auricular branch of the facial.

The great auricular nerve is distributed to the skin of the face over the angle of the mandible and parotid gland (via anterior branch), skin over of the mastoid region (i.e. skin over the mastoid process) (via posterior branch), parts of the auricle (posterior branch), and the parotid gland and parotid fascia.

The great auricular nerve may be damaged during surgery on the parotid gland, reducing sensation to the face.{{Cite journal|last1=Brown|first1=J. S.|last2=Ord|first2=R. A.|date=1 December 1989|title=Preserving the great auricular nerve in parotid surgery|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0266435689800038|journal=British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery|language=en|volume=27|issue=6|pages=459–466|doi=10.1016/S0266-4356(89)80003-8|pmid=2597656 |issn=0266-4356|url-access=subscription}}

Pain resulting from parotitis is caused by an impingement on the great auricular nerve.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-10 |title=Understanding Great Auricular Nerve Pain: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment – The Auricular Nerve |url=https://auricularnerve.com/understanding-great-auricular-nerve-pain-causes-symptoms-and-treatment/ |access-date=2025-06-04 |language=en-US}}

The intermingling of the great auricular nerve and the facial nerve (CN VII) is thought to be responsible for the pathogenesis of Frey's syndrome following parotidectomy.

File:Gray784.png|Dermatome distribution of the trigeminal nerve, also showing the sensory distribution of the great auricular, lesser occipital, and greater occipital nerves.

File:Gray1210.png|Side of neck, showing chief surface markings.

• [http://www.aapmr.org/zimages/education/case65_b.jpg Diagram at aapmr.org] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060213045424/http://www.aapmr.org/zimages/education/case65_b.jpg |date=2006-02-13 }}
• {{SUNYAnatomyFigs|25|03|03}} - "Diagram of the cervical plexus."

{{Cervical plexus}}

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Category:Nerves of the head and neck