Considering the course of the vagal nerve in the cervical region, it is thought that conditions such as stiffness, tightness and decreased elasticity in this region may compress the vagal nerve andmay affect vagal function.
Cervical instability that can lead to a “wandering” C1, C2, and C3 vertebrae will impact the proper nervous system function of the vagus nerve and the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion.
But the reality is that vagus nerve dysfunction is commonly caused by sudden injuries caused by twisting, bending, pulling, or lifting. One common instance in which you could pinch this nerve in the neck and invite all the problems we've touched on thus far is with a whiplash injury.
On the right side, it arises from the trunk of the vagus as it lies beside the trachea. On the left side, it originates from the recurrent laryngeal nerve only. These branches end in the deep part of the cardiac plexus.
Singing, Humming, Chanting and Gargling
The vagus nerve is connected to your vocal cords and the muscles at the back of your throat. Singing, humming, chanting and gargling can activate these muscles and stimulate your vagus nerve. And this has been shown to increase heart-rate variability and vagal tone (12).
There are two main causes of vagus nerve dysfunction: previous infection or inflammation and physical or psychological stress.
Research shows that Chriocpic adjustments can improve HRV by bossing the health function of the vagus nerve. By enhancing the vagus nerve, you will improve the way your entire nervous system functions. Resulting in lowering your risk for chronic disease and increasing your life span.
The vagal response is a series of unpleasant symptoms that occur when the vagus nerve is stimulated. Often, this response is triggered by certain things like stress, pain, and fear. Symptoms of the vagal response include dizziness, nausea, ringing ears, and sweating.
In a vagus nerve massage, moderate pressure is applied to the area between the trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles in the neck/shoulder area and at the muscles below the base of the skull, with twisting or stroking motions [1].
MASSAGE. You can manually stimulate the vagus nerve by massaging certain areas of the body. A neck massage along the carotid sinus, the right side of your throat, stimulates the vagus nerve. Foot massage can also increase vagal modulation, as well as help lower blood pressure.
Abdominal Massage as a Natural Anti-Inflammatory
Research shows that stimulating the vagus nerve acts as a natural anti-inflammatory and tranquilizer since it reduces the production of proinflammatory cytokines and calms the nervous system.
Vagal stretching and breathing movements could bring calm. The vagus nerve, the longest nerve of the autonomic nervous system, may hold a key to instilling calmness.
Experimental studies over the past decades have demonstrated that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) reduces the release of proinflammatory cytokines in acute inflammation (9–11).
Some of the most popular ones feature simple hacks to “tone” or “reset” the vagus nerve, in which people plunge their faces into ice water baths or lie on their backs with ice packs on their chests. There are also neck and ear massages, eye exercises and deep-breathing techniques.
Mouth breathing (even at night), an incorrect tongue resting posture, or an improper swallowing pattern can all contribute to the vagus nerve not being correctly stimulated. The vagus nerve is one of the primary parasympathetic cranial nerves and drives the digestive system.
In Chinese medicine, different parts of our body correlate with different specific reflexology or pressure points. The vagus nerve point for your hand is right inside of the pinky, for example. This is great because it's so accessible during the course of your day.
However, chronic stress can impact the vagus nerve in a negative way. 2 This can lead to problems such as anxiety and depression. It can also make the body more susceptible to infections and diseases. 3 Therefore, it is important to manage stress in order to maintain a healthy vagus nerve.
A neurosurgeon will perform VNS, either in a hospital or an outpatient clinic. It is a minimally invasive procedure that can take up to 90 minutes.
“The mammalian vagus nerve regenerates poorly after injury, which can result in loss of speech, difficulty swallowing, abnormal heart rate, and gastroparesis [improper stomach emptying],” the authors explain. In zebrafish, on the other hand, nerve regeneration is generally very successful.
Working out and getting your body moving can affect your vagus nerve, research shows. Interval training and endurance training can increase your vagus nerve activity and improve your heart rate variability.
Another study showed that acupuncture can help stimulate the vagus nerve which in turn has anti-inflammatory effects on the body. “The present study provides evidence that AS (acupuncture stimulation) transmits signals into the vagus nerve and mediates anti-inflammatory responses in the spleen.
Considering the course of the vagal nerve in the cervical region, it is thought that conditions such as stiffness, tightness and decreased elasticity in this region may compress the vagal nerve andmay affect vagal function.
Potential symptoms of damage to the vagus nerve include: difficulty speaking. loss or change of voice. difficulty swallowing.