What is the Jugular Vein?
The jugular vein, like most veins in the circulatory system, carries deoxygenated blood from body tissues back to the heart. The jugular is a vein that carries a relatively large volume of blood from the tissues of the head and brain, and drains blood into the subclavian vein and the superior vena cava on its way to the heart. There are actually four jugular veins, two on each side of the neck. The internal jugular veins are much larger than the external ones, and therefore more well-known. Most veins, in addition to carrying blood toward the heart, also have periodically spaced valves that only allow the blood to flow in one direction. Without these valves, the circulatory system could become inefficient or even be damaged due to the backflow of blood in the system. Arteries, on the other hand, don’t have or need these valves because of pressure exerted by the heart and other muscles that keeps blood flowing in one direction. The external jugular veins collect most of the deoxygenated
