Vagal nerve stimulators can be something as simple an a non invasive hand held device that delivers mild electrical impulses to the brainstem through the vagus nerve. Vagus nerve is a crucial component of the parasympathetic nervous system. Controlling body functions of digestion, heart rate and immune system responses. All involuntary functions. The advanced treatment can be used to manage various neurological and psychiatric conditions.
Physiology Behind Vagus Nerve
In simple terms, our brain health underlies our ability to communicate, make decisions, connect with others, problem-solve, and live a productive and happy life … and so much more. A brain injury left untreated can be detrimental to a child’s education and proper development.
Special Visceral Efferent (SVE)
Fibers from Nucleus Ambiguus
→ Motor control of most muscles of pharynx, larynx, and some muscles of soft palate and tongue. This plays a very important roll in out speech as well as swallowing.
General Visceral Efferent (GVE)
Dorsal Vagal Motor Nucleus
→ Parasympathetic innervation to cardiac, pulmonary, esophageal muscles, and glands of gastrointestinal tract.
General Somatic Afferent (GSA)
→ Sensory neurons that end in the Spinal Trigeminal nucleus have cell bodies in the superior ganglion. Containing General Somatic Afferent fibers
→ Sensation from the outer ear and tympanic membrane.
General Visceral Afferent (GVA) / (SVA)
→ Solitary nucleus has their cell bodies in the inferior ganglion, providing general visceral afferent fibers.
→ Conducting sensory impulses from the carotid and aortic bodies. As well as
→ Special Visceral Afferent Fibers. Conveying sensation of taste from pharynx, epiglottis, and palate.
Understanding the Vagus Nerve → Latin for “Wanderer”
1. Vast Reach
The longest cranial nerve, extending from the brainstem to the abdomen, connecting the brain to vital organs. All though referred as a singular term the vagus is in fact made up of a pair stemming left, the other right.
2. Vital Functions
It plays a crucial role in regulating heart rate, breathing, digestion, and other autonomic processes essential for health and wellbeing. It is a sensory network that sends signals to our brain about what is going on in our organs. Mainly but not limited to lungs, heart, digestion tract (stomach & intestines), spleen, liver, kidneys, and all the other nerves it has a direct effect or influence on.
3. Bidirectional Communication
The vagus nerve transmits sensory information from the body to the brain and motor commands from the brain to the body. Essential component of the parasympathetic nervous system, helps to control our “fight or flight” response which is our adrenaline response to danger.
Parasympathetic Actions
The Heart
Gastrointestinal
Provides parasympathetic innervation to a majority of the abdominal organs. Purpose or function is to stimulate smooth muscle contraction and glandular secretions in the organs. In stomach for example → Vagus nerve will increase the rate of gastric emptying and stimulate the production of acid.
Mechanism of Action of Vagal Nerve Stimulators
1. Electrical Impulses
The handheld devices generates small electrical impulses that are delivered through the vagus nerve
2. Neuromodulation
A form of techniques that directly affect your nervous system. Potentially seeing results in a decrease of pain. These impulses help to modulate the activity of the vagus nerve, altering the transmission of signals between the brain and body.
3. Therapeutic Effects
By regulating the vagus nerve function, vagal nerve stimulators can produce beneficial effects on various neurological and physiological processes.
Potential Benefits of Vagal Nerve Stimulation
Improved Mood
Reduced Inflammation
Enhanced Cognition
Better Digestion
Vagus Nerve Stimulation: POTS
Vagal Nerve Stimulation is known to restore sympathovagal balance and is becoming an emerging therapeutic strategy for heart conditions like arrhythmia.
→ Exerts immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory biomarkers
→ Non-invasive
→ Stimulation of Vagus nerve can help reduce stress, improve sleep, reduce anxiety, boost in clarity.
→ Ultimately helping in the management of the parasympathetic nervous systems response of “fight or flight”
