Site of neck swelling
- it is essential to define the site of a lump in the neck.
- the neck is divided into two triangles
- the anterior triangle
- this is bounded by the anterior border of the sternomastoid muscle, the lower edge of the jaw and the midline.
- structures deep to sternomastoid are considered to be inside the anterior triangle.
- the posterior triangle
- this is bounded by the posterior border of the sternomastoid muscle, the anterior edge of the trapezius and the clavicle.
- the anterior triangle
- to define the triangles, the patient must tense the neck muscles:
- sternomastoid - put your hand under the patient's chin and ask him to nod his head against resistance. This tightens both sternomastoids.
- trapezius - ask the patient to shrug his shoulders against resistance
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