Importance of the Vagus Nerve
Understanding the role the Vagus Nerve plays in your nervous system is essential to treating all brain and neurological conditions, including; anxiety, depression, and overall health.
The Vagus Nerve and Mental Health
The vagus nerve runs down the spine innervation, supplying and stimulating nerve connections in almost every body organ. However, the most crucial connection the vagus nerve makes is between your brain and your gut. This brain-gut innervation is highly susceptible to inflammatory conditions in either organ and impacts both physical and mental health function. So with that said, inflammation around the vagus nerve can cause anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns that are not connected to thoughts or feelings, causing a physical manifestation of anxiety and depression.
How Does It Happen?
Auto accidents, falls, or concussive events lead to the skull being whipped forward and backward, or ‘whip-lash’ injuries. This can force the vagus nerve into traction, creating chronic stimulation of the autonomic nervous system (fight/flight response). Chronic stimulation leads to increased headaches, dizziness, increased heart rate, and GI symptoms, including diarrhea or nausea and anxiety/depression. By addressing vagal tone and neuro-inflammation through normalizing the craniosacral rhythm and addressing tissue tension.
Things that help calm your vagus nerve!
Do 1:2 breathing exercises—breath in 1 and out 2.
Rub your belly lightly to increase relaxation
Put the palms of your hands lightly over your eyes
Cranial Sacral therapy, visceral manipulation, and neural manipulation can help address the vagus nerve directly
Ask your physician about heart rate variability and low-level laser therapy
And remember, you are not alone, ask for support and talk to your physician.
Contact me if you would like to learn more about my practice and how I address vagal tone and neuroinflammation. I remind my patients and you, too, that asking for help is strength, not weakness. If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health symptoms after a physical or toxin exposure brain injury and want to learn more about me and my practice, visit Tree Root Wellness or MediPro Holistic Health.
PMID: 31068886, 28515545, 29593576, 28515545
