Skull

The skull is the bony framework of the head. Its main purpose is to protect the delicate brain from injury. If you do not have a skull, any slight pressure including a loving pat on the head, could result in very serious injury to the brain.

Structure of the Skull

The skull is comprised of eight cranial bones and fourteen facial bones.

Cranial Bones

The main functions of cranial bones are:

• To protect the brain,
• Protect and support organs for the senses of vision, taste, smell, hearing and equilibrium such as the eyes, nose and ears,
• Outer surfaces of the cranial bones act as areas of attachment for muscles that move the head, and
• Inner surfaces of the cranial bones attach to membranes that stabilize the positions of the brain, nerves and blood vessels.

The cranial bones are:

• Temporal bones – sides of the skull,
• Sphenoid – Anterior to the temporal bones and forms the base of the cranium,
• Ethmoid – Is the floor of the cranium and forms part of the nasal cavity and the orbits. It’s the main support structure of the nasal cavity,
• Frontal – The forehead,
• Occipital – the lower back of the head. It has a large swelling called the Foramen Magnus through which the spinal cord passes, and
• Parietal – the left and right parietal forms much of the superior and lateral portions of the cranium

Facial Bones

The functions of the facial bones in the skull include:

• Protect and support organs of the senses such as the eyes, tongue and taste buds, and ears,
• Form the mechanical framework of the face,
• Protect and support entry points of the digestive system as well as the respiratory system, and
• Provide attachment for some muscles of facial expression

Some of the facial bones include:

• Maxilla - The bone into which the upper teeth are attached,
• Nasal - Pair of oblong bones that form the bridge and roof of the nose,
• Palatine - Form the bottom of the orbital and nasals cavities and the roof of the mouth,
• Vomer - Separates the nasal cavities into left and right sides,
• Turbinator - Forms the nasal cavities,
• Cheek bone - Or the zygomatic. It articulates the frontal, maxilla, sphenoid and temporal bones,
• Mandible - Bone into which the lower teeth are attached,
• Lacrimal - The smallest bones in the face and contain foramina for the tear ducts, and
• Hyoid - Supports the tongue, providing attachment areas for some tongue muscles, neck and pharynx.

Conditions that can affect the Skull

The skull is a very hardy structure. This is mainly to provide the necessary protection to the brain. However, it is also vulnerable to serious conditions. These include:

• Skull fractures - Will normally occur due to head injuries and undue external pressure to the skull. Skull fractures are serious and may require surgery,
• Plagiocephaly - The skull is not smooth and has dips, lumps and some flatter areas. However, sometimes a large area of the skull is flat,
• Neutrophillia - A hereditary condition,
• Adams Oliver syndrome

There are over 65 known diseases that can affect the skull. Some of these are severe but most are mild. Most of these can be diagnosed when one is still a child as a parent will probably notice an abnormal skull. Miracles for Men suggest visiting your doctor to check any possible serious conditions.

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