Two roads to your brain
Your brain needs lots of oxygen to think, see, remember and play. It gets most of its blood through two big arteries in your neck, the carotid arteries (kuh-ROT-id).
There is one on each side of your neck, running up beside your windpipe.
Two smaller arteries also run up through the bones at the back of your neck. Together, all four make sure your brain always gets plenty of blood.
Splitting in two
Near the top of your neck, just below your jaw, each carotid artery splits into two branches.
One branch goes inside your skull to your brain and eyes. The other branch goes to your face, tongue, scalp and the outside of your head.
Feeling your neck pulse
Your neck is a good place to feel your pulse. Put two fingers gently on the side of your neck, in the soft groove beside your windpipe, just below your jaw.
Press softly. Only check one side at a time, and never press on both sides at once.
Feel the tap, tap? Count the taps for 15 seconds and multiply by 4 to find your heart rate.
Your neck pulse is often easier to feel than your wrist pulse, because the carotid is a big artery close to the skin.