S15: Injury of blood vessels at neck level

S15.3: Injury of internal jugular vein

Several blood vessels run through the neck. There are blood vessels for the neck, spine and spinal cord, and head.

Veins are blood vessels that transport the blood back to the heart. The two jugular veins in the neck, right and left, collect blood from the face and brain. The external jugular vein from the face joins the internal jugular vein from the brain below the ear. You have damaged your internal jugular vein.

When a blood vessel is damaged, there is usually bleeding. If the bleeding is heavy, blood may collect in the tissue. There may then be some pain. When there is bleeding below the skin, a bruise sometimes forms.