You have most likely heard of the Gut brain Axis, referring to the bidirectional communication between the central nervous system (brain) and the enteric nervous system (gut), linking emotional and cognitive centres of the brain with peripheral intestinal function. But do you know much about the Vagus nerve that’s responsible for connecting them? To book an appointment for a combined Japanese Acupuncture and Vagus nerve stimulation treatment, click here.
Understanding the Vagus Nerve
The vagus nerve aka the “wandering nerve” is a multi branched nerve that extends from the cerebellum in the brain down to the lowest viscera of the abdomen, reaching out to the heart and other organs on the way down. It is this nerve that is responsible for the communication between the gut and the brain.
When your brain function is impaired due to inflammation and degeneration output through the brainstem reduces. The following symptoms can all be linked to reduced vagal activation or poor vagal tone:
- Food sensitivities
- Gut problems
Adequate Vagal stimulation is required for all areas of digestion including:
- stomach acid production
- enzyme release
- bile excretion
The vagus nerve is also responsible for feelings of hunger and satiety and energy metabolism.
Symptoms that the Vagus nerve may be impeded:
Stimulating the vagus nerve increases the release of histamine in stomach cells, which helps with the release of stomach acid. When we lose communication from the brain to the gut, the vagus nerve stops the release of stomach acid required for the break down of food before it enters the small intestine. Symptoms of low stomach acid production include:
- acid reflux
Along with reduced stomach acid production, vagal nerve stimulation is required for enzyme and bile production, which are required to further break down food once it has entered the small intestine. Symptoms of poor enzymatic and bile production include:
- stomach pain
- undigested food in stools
- nausea after eating fatty meals.
Vagus nerve stimulation also helps to improve function and reduce inflammation in all target organs including the heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, gallbladder spleen & kidneys.
If you can relate to these symptoms you may have poor vagal nerve tone.
How to improve your vagal tone
Vagus Nerve Stimulation using TENS machine on Auricular(ear) points:
At Happy Healthy Clinic we are trained in Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve stimulation (taVNS). In the past the only way to actively stimulate the vagus nerve was through an implant placed on the nerve itself. This implant work similarly to a pace maker and was an invasive, permanent procedure. It has since been discovered that the vagus nerve can be innervated, or stimulated, via specific ear points using a TENS machine. Specific frequencies are chosen for their various influences on the Vagus nerve.
Studies have shown that when your body has to adjust to cold temperatures your parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system is activated, which is mediated by the vagus nerve. Activities such as taking a cold shower, a winter plunge in the sea, or putting your face in ice cold water, all activate this process.
Singing, humming or chanting activates the sympathetic nervous system and vagus nerve by activating the muscles in the throat and neck and lungs.
Deep diaphragm breathing:
The primary role of breathing is to intake oxygen into the body for utilisation by cells and to remove unwanted carbon dioxide. Muscles controlling this movement are the diaphragm and intercostal muscles between the ribs. When a person is under stress, their breathing pattern changes to short shallow breaths, using their shoulders to move air in and out of the lungs instead of the diaphragm. This breathing pattern not only disrupts the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, it can also prolong feelings of anxiety making stress worse. Deep breathing calms the nervous system. By practicing long deep breathing you activate the parasympathetic nervous system, activating the vagus nerve, telling your brain its time to rest and digest.
Yoga & exercise:
Yoga and gentle exercise increases vagus nerve activation through the parasympathetic nervous system. Performing particular postrual movements such as sarvangasana and the implementation of deep diaphragm breathing turns off the stress response allowing the body to move back into relaxation.
If you would like to know more on how vagal nerve stimulation may help you, get in contact with us.
This blog post has been contributed by Melissa Briggs of Elixir Naturopathy
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"Hii ni ""Mgongo wa Gut"" - mawasiliano ya pande mbili kati ya mfumo wa neva wa kati (ubongo) na mfumo wa neva wa utumbo (matumbo), kuunganisha vituo vya hisia na utambuzi wa ubongo na kazi ya matumbo ya pande zote." Lakini je, unajua mengi kuhusu neva ya Vagus ambayo ni wajibu wa kuunganisha yao? Ili kuweka miadi kwa ajili ya matibabu ya pamoja ya Acupuncture ya Kijapani na Vagus nerve stimulation, bonyeza hapa. Vagus Nerve (Vagus Nerve) ni mfumo wa neva unaoenea kutoka ubongo wa chini hadi sehemu ya chini ya tumbo, na kufikia moyo na viungo vingine. Ni neva hii inayohusika na mawasiliano kati ya matumbo na ubongo. Wakati kazi ya ubongo wako imeharibika kutokana na uvimbe na uharibifu, pato kupitia shina la ubongo hupungua. Vipimo vya chini vinaweza kuhusishwa na kupunguzwa kwa uanzishaji wa vagal au sauti duni ya vagal: - Uhalisi wa chakula - Matatizo ya matumbo - Uchochezi wa kutosha wa vagal inahitajika kwa maeneo yote ya kumeng'enya, ikiwa ni pamoja na: - Uzalishaji wa asidi ya tumbo - Utoaji wa enzyme - Utoaji wa bile. Vifaa vya kuzuia mshipa wa vagus: Msaada wa mshipa wa vagus huongeza kutolewa kwa histamine katika chembe za tumbo, ambayo husaidia kutolewa kwa asidi ya tumbo. Wakati mawasiliano kati ya ubongo na matumbo yanapotea, neva ya vagus inazuia kutolewa kwa asidi ya tumbo inayohitajika kwa uharibifu wa chakula kabla ya kuingia kwenye matumbo madogo. Matokeo ya chini ya asidi ya tumbo ni pamoja na reflux ya asidi, pamoja na kupunguzwa kwa asidi ya tumbo, stimulation ya neva ya vagal inahitajika kwa ajili ya uzalishaji wa enzyme na bile, ambayo inahitajika zaidi kuvunja chakula mara moja imefika matumbo madogo. Dalili za uzalishaji duni wa enzymatic na bile ni pamoja na: - maumivu ya tumbo - chakula kisichotafutwa katika matope - kichefuchefu baada ya kula chakula chenye mafuta. Vagus nerve stimulation pia husaidia kuboresha kazi na kupunguza uvimbe katika viungo vyote vya lengo ikiwa ni pamoja na moyo, mapafu, ini, kongosho, gallbladder, utando na figo. Ikiwa unaweza kuhusiana na dalili hizi huenda ukawa na sauti duni ya neva ya vagal. Jinsi ya kuboresha sauti yako ya vagal: Vagus Nerve Stimulation kutumia mashine ya TENS kwenye pointi za auricular (sikio): Katika Kliniki ya Happy Healthy tumefundishwa katika Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS). Zamani njia pekee ya kuchochea neva ya vagus ilikuwa kwa kutumia kiungo kilichowekwa kwenye neva yenyewe. Kiunganishi hicho kilifanya kazi kama kifaa cha kuendesha mwendo na kilikuwa utaratibu wa kudumu na wenye kuathiri. Kwa mfano, kuna uwezekano wa kuchochea neva ya vagus kupitia sehemu fulani za sikio kwa kutumia mashine ya TENS. Mzunguko hususa huchaguliwa kwa sababu ya uvutano wao mbalimbali juu ya neva ya Vagus. Utafiti unaonyesha kwamba wakati mwili wako unapolazimika kurekebisha hali ya hewa ya baridi, mfumo wako wa neva wa parasympathetic (kutoa pumziko na kumeng'enya) huanzishwa, na mfumo huo huendeshwa na neva ya vagus. Mazoezi kama vile kuoga baridi, kuogelea baharini wakati wa majira ya baridi kali, au kuweka uso wako katika maji baridi sana, yote huchochea mchakato huu. Kuimba, kupiga kelele au kuimba huamsha mfumo wa neva wa hisia na neva ya vagus kwa kuamsha misuli ya koo na shingo na mapafu. Kupumua kwa kina: Kazi kuu ya kupumua ni kuchukua oksijeni ndani ya mwili kwa matumizi ya seli na kuondoa kaboni dioksidi isiyofaa. Misuli inayoongoza mwendo huo ni diaphragm na misuli ya kati ya mbavu. Wakati mtu yuko chini ya mkazo, muundo wa kupumua hubadilika kuwa pumzi fupi za chini, kwa kutumia mabega yake kuhamisha hewa ndani na nje ya mapafu badala ya diaphragm. Mfano huu wa kupumua hauvuruga tu kubadilishana kwa oksijeni na kaboni dioksidi, lakini pia unaweza kupanua hisia za wasiwasi na kufanya mkazo kuwa mbaya zaidi. Kupumua kwa kina hutuliza mfumo wa neva. Kwa kufanya mazoezi ya kupumua kwa muda mrefu, unaweza kuamsha mfumo wa neva wa parasympathetic, na kuamsha neva ya vagus, na kuambia ubongo wako ni wakati wake wa kupumzika na kumeng'enya. Yoga na mazoezi ya upole huongeza uanzishaji wa neva ya vagus kupitia mfumo wa neva wa parasympathetic. Kuendesha harakati maalum za baada ya mwili kama vile sarvangasana na kutekeleza kupumua kwa kina cha diaphragm hufuta majibu ya mkazo na kuruhusu mwili kurudi kwenye kupumzika. Ikiwa unataka kujua zaidi juu ya jinsi kuchochea neva ya vagal inaweza kukusaidia, wasiliana nasi. "Msomaji wa ""Elixir Naturopathy"" Melissa Briggs, Mkurugenzi wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti wa Utafiti." Hakuna vifaa kwenye tovuti hii ni nia ya kuwa mbadala wa ushauri wa kitaalamu wa matibabu, utambuzi au matibabu. Daima tafuta ushauri wa daktari wako au mtoa huduma mwingine wa afya mwenye sifa na maswali yoyote ambayo unaweza kuwa nayo kuhusu hali ya matibabu au matibabu na kabla ya kuanza utaratibu mpya wa huduma ya afya, na kamwe usipuuze ushauri wa kitaaluma wa matibabu au uchelewe kutafuta kwa sababu ya kitu ambacho umesoma kwenye tovuti hii.