Dermatomes

Just under 3 weeks until my mid year exam. It's a little bit scary reviewing all this material and realizing just how much stuff I need to remember. The sheer volume of information is overwhelming and it seems that as I stuff more information into my head, I'm just pushing old information out. Back in undergrad, it was a constant cycle of cram and forget. Study like crazy for one exam, hit the memory erase button, and cram for the next. But I can't do that anymore. Everything from day 1 onward is cumulative and I need to know it unless I want to be responsible for killing people due to mental negligence.

Here's a song about dermatomes that I came across. No idea how the melody goes or who the authors are (Doris and Bek with the help of Mr. Smirnoff) but maybe I can stick my own tune to it and it will help me with all the referred pain...

Doris and Bek's Dermatome Song

"When you know the points to prick, you can diagnose anything."

"C2 – the back of your head to the bump

C3 – the supraclavicular fossa
C4 – the area crossing the AC joint
C5 – the lateral antecubital fossa
C6 – lateral arm going to the thumb
C7 – that rude middle finger
C8 – little finger to the medial hand
Which brings us to the T, T, T, T’s
T1 – the median antecubital fossa
T2 – the apex of the axilla
T4 – the strip covering those erect little nipples
T10 – the level of your belly button
L1 – upper anterior thigh
L2 – the mid region of your thigh
L3 – medial femoral condyle area
Which brings us to the knee, knee, knee
L4 - the leg to the medial malleolus
L5 – covering your first 3 toes
S1 – the lateral foot and your calf
S2 – the popliteal fossa
S2 – also does the hamstrings
S3 – the ischial tuberosities
S4-5 – that itchy perianal area
Which ends this little song song song song"