Great auricular nerve

The great auricular nerve originates from the cervical plexus, composed of branches of spinal nerves C2 and C3. It provides sensory innervation for the skin over parotid gland and mastoid process, and both surfaces of the outer ear. Pain resulting from parotitis is caused by an impingement on the great auricular nerve.

Great auricular nerve
The nerves of the scalp, face, and side of neck. (Great auricular visible below ear.)
Plan of the cervical plexus. (Great auricular labeled at top center.)
Details
FromCervical plexus (C2-C3)
InnervatesCutaneous innervation of the inferior part of the auricle and the parotid region of the face.
Identifiers
Latinnervus auricularis magnus
TAA14.2.02.018
FMA6872
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy

Path

It is the largest of the ascending branches of the cervical plexus. It arises from the second and third cervical nerves, winds around the posterior border of the sternocleidomastoideus, and, after perforating the deep fascia, ascends upon that muscle beneath the platysma to the parotid gland, where it divides into an anterior and a posterior branch.

Branches
  • The anterior branch (ramus anterior; facial branch) is distributed to the skin of the face over the parotid gland, and communicates in the substance of the gland with the facial nerve.
  • The posterior branch (ramus posterior; mastoid branch) supplies the skin over the mastoid process and on the back of the auricula, except at its upper part; a filament pierces the auricula to reach its lateral surface, where it is distributed to the lobule and lower part of the concha. The posterior branch communicates with the smaller occipital, the auricular branch of the vagus, and the posterior auricular branch of the facial.

Additional images
  • Dermatome distribution of the trigeminal nerve, also showing the sensory distribution of the great auricular, lesser occipital, and greater occipital nerves.
  • Side of neck, showing chief surface markings.

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 926 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

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