Phrenic Nerve (Human Anatomy): Image, Functions, Diseases and Treatments

Your diaphragm is controlled by the phrenic nerve (between your chest and abdomen, the bulky dome-shaped muscle). It is necessary for breathing. Your diaphragm contracts as a result of signals sent by your nerve (thicken and grow flatter).

This motion makes room for your lungs to enlarge and pull in air (inhalation). Following this, your diaphragm relaxes due to decreased phrenic nerve activation, which causes your lungs to contract and exhale air.

• There is a connection between the phrenic nerve and the cervical nerve roots C3 to C5 of the spinal cord. The cervical nerve roots are located in the neck. The nerve centre:
• Begins at the C3 vertebral level, which corresponds to the jaw and allows you to flex and rotate your neck.
• Linked to the cervical vertebrae C4 and C5 at the base of the neck. A damage between C3 and C5 can result in paralysis and the inability to breathe normally.
• Reaches the diaphragm via travelling through the neck and chest (thorax) and through the heart and lungs.

A left and a right phrenic nerve exist in you. Each one serves the same purpose. The left phrenic nerve regulates your right side, whereas the right phrenic nerve regulates the left portion of your diaphragm.

The phrenic nerve is a vital part of your respiratory system that helps you breathe. The diaphragm receives its motor (movement) function from one single nerve in the neurological system. As a result of the signals it provides, the diaphragm may expand and contract. Your lungs take in and release air when you breathe in and out.

Information about touch and discomfort is also carried down your phrenic nerve to your:

• The diaphragm and the pleura of the diaphragm (A thin layer of tissue that covers the top portion of your diaphragm).
• Mediastinal pleura (a layer of connective tissue that covers the space in your chest cavity that lies between your lungs).
• Pericardium (sac protecting your heart).
• Peritoneum (thin tissue protecting your abdominal organs).

• ParsonageTurner syndrome: A uncommon disorder that causes abrupt, excruciating pain in the shoulder and upper arm, as well as weakening in the afflicted arm.
• Diaphragm paralysis: A paralysis or weakness of the diaphragm muscles, the primary muscle in respiration. When this happens, it might be hard to take in enough air, and a ventilator may be needed to help.
• Guillain-Barré syndrome: An extremely uncommon autoimmune disease characterised by progressive muscular weakening and, in severe cases, paralysis due to the immune system's attack on the nervous system.
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): A degenerative disorder of the nervous system that destroys the nerve cells that direct our muscles to move on command. It is commonly referred to as ALS or Lou Gehrig's illness.
• Schwannoma of the phrenic nerve: A type of benign tumour that arises from the cells that form the protective sheath (myelin) around the phrenic nerve, which controls the diaphragm muscle used in breathing.
• Intractable hiccups: A condition in which hiccups persist for a long period of time and cannot be stopped by conventional treatment methods.
• Phrenic Nerve Palsy: A condition in which the phrenic nerve, which controls the diaphragm muscle used in breathing, is damaged or impaired, resulting in difficulty breathing.

• Electromyography (EMG): A test that measures the electrical activity of muscles to diagnose muscle disorders, such as phrenic nerve problems.
• Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET: A type of medical imaging test that uses a small amount of radioactive glucose (sugar) to produce detailed images of the body's cells and tissues.
• Amyloid PET imaging: A type of medical imaging test that uses a small amount of a radioactive tracer to produce detailed images of the body's cells and tissues.Phrenic nerve issues and other diseases are among those that may be diagnosed with its help.
• Right and left diaphragm compound muscle action potential (CMAP): A test that measures the strength and speed of the electrical signals that travel through the phrenic nerve and the diaphragm muscle, which can help diagnose phrenic nerve problems.
• Muscle and/or nerve biopsy: A procedure in which a small sample of muscle or nerve tissue is removed and examined under a microscope to diagnose phrenic nerve problems and other conditions.
• A spinal fluid test: A test in which a sample of the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord (cerebrospinal fluid) is collected and examined to diagnose phrenic nerve problems and other conditions.

• Phrenicotomy: A surgical procedure in which the phrenic nerve, which controls the diaphragm muscle used in breathing, is cut to treat conditions such as phrenic nerve paralysis or hiccups.
• Diaphragmatic pacing: A procedure in which a device is implanted to stimulate the diaphragm muscle and help improve breathing in people with phrenic nerve paralysis or other conditions that affect the diaphragm.
• Microsurgery (nerve graft): A surgical procedure in which a healthy nerve is taken from another part of the body and used to replace or repair a damaged nerve, including the phrenic nerve.
• Radiotherapy: High-powered radiation therapy is a method of treating cancer. Phrenic nerve schwannomas, as well as other tumours affecting the phrenic nerve, may be treated using this method.

These techniques may protect your nervous system:

• To obtain and keep a normal weight, it is necessary to engage in regular physical activity and consume a balanced diet.
• Find healthy strategies to handle stress, such as meditation and music listening.
• Get lots of sleep.
• Manage nerve-damaging illnesses such as high cholesterol and diabetes.

If you suffer any of the following, it is important to contact your doctor immediately:

• A problem in breathing or a lack of breath, particularly if more pillows behind the head are required to facilitate breathing when resting flat.
• Weakness or soreness in the arms and shoulders without apparent cause.
• Snoring and tiredness during the day are two of the most common signs of sleep apnea.
• Hiccups of an unusual and persistent nature that won't go away.

• Steroids for reducing inflammation of Phrenic Nerve: Steroids are medications that are used to reduce inflammation in the body. Some examples of steroids that may be used to treat inflammation of the phrenic nerve include prednisone, methylprednisolone, and azathioprine.
• Analgesics for pain in Phrenic Nerve: Analgesics are medications that are used to relieve pain. Important analgesics that may be used to treat pain in the phrenic nerve include acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and morphine.
• Muscle relaxants for stiffness in Phrenic Nerve: Muscle relaxants are medications that are used to relieve muscle stiffness and spasms. Important examples of muscle relaxants that may be used to treat stiffness in the phrenic nerve include diazepam, carisoprodol, and meprobamate.
• Antibiotics for infection in Phrenic Nerve: Bacterial infections can be treated using antibiotics. Penicillin, amoxicillin, and ciprofloxacin are three examples of antibiotics that may be used to treat a phrenic nerve infection.
• Nutritional supplements for reducing pain in Phrenic Nerve: There are a variety of nutritional supplements that may be used to reduce pain in the phrenic nerve. Some examples include omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and vitamin D. Other supplements that may be helpful in promoting growth and repair of the phrenic nerve include iron, folic acid, and zinc.
• Antivirals for treating infection of Phrenic Nerve: Antivirals are a class of medicines that are employed in the treatment of illnesses brought on by viruses. Antiviral medications such as acyclovir, zidovudine, and lamivudine are only few of the many options for treating an infection that has spread to the phrenic nerve.
• Chemotherapeutic medicines for Phrenic Nerve: Chemotherapeutic medicines are medications that are used to treat cancer. Some examples of chemotherapeutic medicines that may be used to treat a phrenic nerve condition include paclitaxel, docetaxel, and carboplatin.
• Antipsychotics for phrenic nerve: Antipsychotics are a class of drugs that are utilised in the treatment of a variety of mental health diseases, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other psychotic illnesses. Chlorpromazine is an example of an antipsychotic that may be utilised in the treatment of a disorder that affects the phrenic nerve.