Overview over the basic anatomy and functions of the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is responsible for the regulation of internal organ functions, such as digestion, heart rate, and respiratory rate, as well as vasomotor activity, and certain reflex actions, such as coughing, sneezing, swallowing, and vomiting (17).
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, ...
When stimulated, you feel calmer, more compassionate, and clearer. Stimulating the vagus benefits your autonomic nervous system and mental health. Healthy vagal tone means emotional regulation, greater connection, and better physical health as well.
Stimulation from the left mid-cervical vagus nerve most commonly causes voice alteration, cough, dyspnea, dysphagia, and neck pain or paresthesias. Left cervical VNS is believed to minimize potential cardiac effects such as bradycardia or asystole (primarily mediated by the right vagus nerve).
A: These patients experienced a very common reaction known as vasovagal syncope. When the vagus nerve is overstimulated, the body's blood vessels dilate, especially those in the lower extremities, and the heart temporarily slows down. The brain is deprived of oxygen, causing the patient to lose consciousness.
Your vagus nerve helps disengage your sympathetic nervous system — your fight-or-flight response. “When you're stressed or scared, your heart rate and blood pressure increase, and you become focused on survival,” Dr. Lin explains. “Being in that stressful 'fight-or-flight' state can wear out your body.
Trauma disrupts the function of the vagus nerve(s) and can lead to dysfunction in other parts of our body.
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.
The vagal nerves carry signals between your brain, heart and digestive system. They're a key part of your parasympathetic nervous system. Vagus nerve damage can lead to gastroparesis, food not moving into your intestines.
Eat foods rich in tryptophan.
Dietary tryptophan is metabolized in the gut and may help the astrocytes—cells in the brain and spinal cord—control inflammation, which may improve communication from the gut to the brain via the vagal messenger pathway. These foods include spinach, seeds, nuts, bananas, and poultry.
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.
Something calming and easy that's not vigorous, like taking a walk, is a great way to destress and also help your vagus nerve. People who engage in regular walks see a significant reduction in anxiety and perceived stress, as well as a better overall mood and physical health.
Drinking cold water or splashing cold water on your face may be enough to stimulate your vagus nerve. You can also take cold showers, and take a swim in an unheated pool. Check out Vim Hoff for more information on this. Yoga increases vagus nerve activity and your parasympathetic system.
Trauma is frequently associated with depression and anxiety via Vagus nerve activity–or lack thereof. This is because the Vagus nerve is responsible for counteracting stress. Depression and anxiety are common responses to trauma, enabled by the sympathetic nervous system.
Since the parasympathetic innervation of the lacrimal gland occurs via seventh cranial nerve, a possible co-activation of the vagus nerve with the production of emotional tears is likely the consequence of the activity of higher brain centers stimulating parasympathetic fibers in both of these nerves.
Loud gargling with water or loud singing activates our vocal cords which in turn stimulates the vagus nerve. Foot massage: gentle or firm touch can assist in stimulation the vagus nerve. Cold water face immersion: immerse your forehead eyes and at least 2/3 of both cheeks into cold water.
Through the vagus nerve, we react to signals in our environment in ways that calm, alarm, or dysregulate the body, and these states in turn create emotional experience and play out in behavior.
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.