Several chiropractic treatments can improve the health of the vagus nerve. Adjustments help to keep the nerve functioning properly, while massage can help to stimulate it and enhance communication between the brain and the body. Exercises that work on the core muscles can also help to improve vagus nerve health.
1. Breathe deep. Breathing exercises are often recommended when it comes to stress and anxiety, and here's another great reason to give it a try. When we breathe deep and slow from our abdomen, we stimulate the vagus nerve.
Massage: Stimulate the vagus nerve by massaging your ears and scalp or give yourself a foot massage. One general way of massaging the ear, most efficient to do both sides at once. Place your index finger behind the bottom back of your ear.
The most common symptoms of vagus nerve dysfunction include chronic pain, fatigue, dizziness, lightheadedness, spinning or pulling sensation (in a particular direction), weight loss, poor focusing, exercise intolerance, emotional lability, inflammation, heartburn, bloating, diarrhea, tinnitus, headache, anxiety, ...
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.
Researchers have also found that exposure to cold can lower your sympathetic “fight or flight” response and increase parasympathetic activity through the vagus nerve. Slow, deep, rhythmic, diaphragmatic breathing. A prolonged exhale with the use of straw is a great way to achieve this.
The left vagal nerve runs down the left side of your neck, and the right vagal nerve runs down your right side. This nerve extends all the way from your brain to the large intestines: down your neck, through your chest, around your heart, around your lungs, and through your abdomen and intestines.
This vagal nerve damage can result from diabetes, viral infections, abdominal surgery and scleroderma. Vasovagal syncope: Syncope is another word for fainting. Vasovagal syncope occurs when a vagus nerve to your heart overreacts to certain situations like extreme heat, anxiety, hunger, pain or stress.
What the wellness community recommends for stimulating the vagus nerve—eye movements, meditation, massage, cold-water immersion, and singing and humming—, if it works, is likely to be beneficial through a very simple concept: relaxation.
Vagus nerve massage is an effective way to improve vagal tone and promote improved mental health and well-being. Although there are several ways to stimulate and massage the vagus nerve, such as chest tapping, gargling, and cold exposure, not all of these techniques are effective and proven to work the same way.
When you slouch, inevitably your head goes forward. As this occurs you will affect a nerve called the Vagus Nerve, and it will not work effectively. The Vagus nerve acts to help counteract your adrenal system – your fight or flight system of the body.
Trauma disrupts the function of the vagus nerve(s) and can lead to dysfunction in other parts of our body.
Chronic stress can worsen symptoms of a dysfunctional vagus nerve. To reduce stress, make lifestyle changes like getting regular exercise, practicing meditation or yoga, and getting enough sleep. You may also want to try relaxation techniques like deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation.
Chronic activation of the sympathetic nervous system decreases blood flow to the brain, making it harder to think clearly and effectively. If the vagus nerve isn't working properly, it could cause anxiety and other problems like depression, panic attacks, insomnia, digestive issues, and even autoimmune disorders.
A September 2020 paper (2) suggested that compression of the vagus nerve may cause complaints of pain and burning in the stomach. The paper also suggests that techniques that can decompress that vagus nerve can result in gastric symptoms being decreased.
At UCSF Health, our neurologists and neurosurgeons have expertise in implanting vagal nerve stimulators to treat seizures caused by diseases such as epilepsy.
You know that not only will a pinched or irritated vagus nerve result in neck pain, but it can also lead to myriad issues throughout our body and mind - including increased anxiety, depression, headaches & migraines, poor digestive & immune system function, increased heart rate, and more.
Moreover, it is necessary to evaluate the cervical vagus nerve when there is no thyroid pathology, cervical esophageal cancer, or any other lesion in the tracheoesophageal groove,8 but CT scan or MRI cannot show the vagus nerve.
Acupuncture can be a safe and effective way to stimulate the vagus nerve and promote its function. Studies have shown that acupuncture can reduce inflammation, improve heart rate variability, and regulate autonomic function, all of which are related to vagus nerve function.
By stimulating the vagus nerve with a tool such as an ultrasonic device, acupuncture, or through yoga techniques, we can move out of trauma-related states and into greater ease. Vagus nerve reset helps us realize greater balance and harmony within our bodies as trauma gets mitigated or resolved.
Foot reflexology has been shown to stimulate the vagus nerve.