Nasalis Muscle

The Nasalis Muscle

The nasalis muscle is a facial expression muscle found in the nose. It is the largest of the nasal muscles and is comprised of two sections: the transverse and the alar.

Attachments

• Transverse part: It originates from the maxilla, located immediately laterally to the nose. It attaches onto an aponeurosis that is found across the dorsum of the nose.
• Alar part: The second part of the nasalis muscle originates from the maxilla above the lateral incisor and connects to the alar cartilage within the nasal skeleton.

Actions

• Transverse part: The transverse part of the nasalis muscle is responsible for compressing the nasal opening.
• Alar part: The alar part of the nasalis muscle is responsible for widening the nasal opening.

Innervation

The nasalis muscle is innervated by the buccal branches of the facial nerve.

Blood Supply

The nasalis muscle is supplied with blood by the facial artery and the infraorbital branch of the maxillary artery.

The nasalis muscle is an integral part of the facial expression muscles that are used to produce a wide variety of facial expressions. Its two parts work together to both compress and widen the nasal opening. It is also important for its role in the interpretation of emotions, as the widening and narrowing of the nasal opening often acts as an indicator of a person’s feelings. In addition, the nasalis muscle is important for its innervation and blood supply, as both of these provide it with the energy needed to perform its functions.

In order to maintain the proper functioning of the nasalis muscle, it is important to keep the area around the nasal opening clean and free of debris. It is also important to monitor and take note of any changes in the way that the nasalis muscle is performing, as this could indicate a problem with the muscle itself or the surrounding structures. If any issues are identified, it is important to seek medical attention in order to ensure that the nasalis muscle is functioning properly.