The vagus nerve is one of the most underappreciated and underrated nerves in the human body. The vagus nerve plays an important role in a number of bodily functions, including digestion, speech, sweating, and saliva production.
It also helps with high blood pressure, physical pain management, emotional pain management, breathing disorders, and even depression and anxiety. That’s why taking care of and stimulating your vagus nerve is so crucial.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) is one of the most exciting discoveries in the science of medicine in recent history. It is a method that involves exciting the vagus nerve in order to get beneficial impacts on your mind and body.
When your vagus nerve is energized, like it is through Vagus Nerve Stimulation massage, it is activated and triggered to introduce chemicals and hormonal agents that improve your mental, physical, and emotional health. The beneficial impact of Vagus Nerve Stimulation massage isn’t just apparent, but is also backed by several clinical research studies.
Yet what exactly is the vagus nerve and how can VNS massage help to enhance your overall health? In this blog post, we are going to take you through fiveways that Vagus Nerve Stimulation massage will improve your overall health and well-being. But to begin with, we’ll find out more about the vagus nerve and its purpose, and why this type of massage is so valuable. So keep reading!
What is the Vagus Nerve?
The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in your entire body, stretching from your brain all the way to your abdomen. It plays a crucial role in controlling your pulse rate, digestion, and breathing. It is frequently referred to as the “wandering nerve” thanks to its extensive range in the body.
The vagus nerve is also responsible for a variety of emotive and mental health functions, including things like your ability to experience empathy, gratitude, and delight. The greater your vagal tone (the function and strength of your vagus nerve), the better your psychological health and the easier it is to handle tension and anxiety. This is why taking care of and stimulating this nerve is so important to your health and well-being.
How Does Vagus Nerve Stimulation Massage Work?
Surprisingly, Vagus Nerve Stimulation Massage does not include stimulating your vagus nerve directly. Rather, VNS massage applies massage to the areas near your vagus nerve so as to excite it, increasing the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain and body.
Massaging the carotid artery, a major blood vessel in your neck, also stimulates your vagus nerve and enhances blood flow to your brain. When your vagus nerve is stimulated, it prompts your brain to dispense chemicals and hormones that reduce your blood sugar level, manage your digestion system, and increase your immune system.
It also decreases cortisol (the stress hormone) and high blood pressure, improves your state of mind and mental health, and helps you to sleep more soundly.
Real Benefits of Vagus Nerve Stimulation Massage
Vagus Nerve Stimulation massage delivers a large range of health and wellness benefits, from guarding you against autoimmune diseases to helping you sleep better. Nevertheless, we have collected 5 of the biggest health benefits below:
Pain Relief
Perhaps the most obvious benefit of vagus nerve stimulation is relief for persistent pain. The science behind pain is now well known, and helping to manage physical pain and physical symptoms is one benefit that many people need.
Boosts Mood, Reduces Stress And Anxiety and Promotes Better Psychological Health
Vagus nerve stimulation can help boost your mood and lower stress and anxiety. It has actually been revealed to assist those who struggle with psychological health disorders such as clinical depression, PTSD, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and anxiety attacks.
Vagus nerve stimulation is thought to assist with these conditions because it raises GABA, a neurotransmitter that slows down brain activity, reduces inflammation, and regulates dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin.
When you stimulate your vagus nerve, you enhance your oxytocin levels, which is a hormonal agent that makes you feel happiness and helps to lessen anxiety. Vagus nerve stimulation can likewise help make you feel less lonesome and depressed by increasing your dopamine levels.
Decreases Tension and Helps Manage Blood Pressure
Vagus nerve stimulation helps to reduce stress, which can help you to control your high blood pressure. High blood pressure levels (hypertension) affects millions of people in Canada alone, and is a leading cause of heart disease, heart attack, and diabetes. Vagus nerve stimulation also increases your body’s production of norepinephrine, which helps to manage blood sugar level, high blood pressure, and your digestion system.
It likewise helps to raise your heart rate variability (HRV), which can help you to lower stress and anxiety. When your massage activates your vagus nerve, it may additionally help you have a sounder night’s sleep. This can help you to feel less stressed out throughout the day and less nervous.
Minimizes Swelling and Chronic Discomfort
Vagus nerve stimulation helps minimize swelling and persistent discomfort. It has been discovered to assist with fibromyalgia, arthritis, and even cancer suffering. Vagus nerve stimulation can also help to reduce other aches, including migraines, headaches, joint and back discomfort, muscle discomfort, and even discomfort throughout childbirth. It may also help manage your gastrointestinal system, enhance your sleep, and enhance your mood. All these benefits help with chronic pain.
Increases Breathing Capacity and Improves Lung Function
When your vagus nerve is activated, it helps to enhance lung function, which helps relieve asthma and COPD. It helps to decrease your heart rate and high blood pressure, which is beneficial for those with breathing problems. Vagus nerve stimulation can also help you to breathe more deeply, minimizing the need for oxygen. This may help you remain fit and active longer.
Wrap Up
If you want to live a healthier and better life, you need to safeguard and energize your vagus nerve. That’s why Vagus Nerve Stimulation massage is such an essential and effective strategy. It’s the best way to manage and protect your vagus nerve and help prevent diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
The more you stimulate your vagus nerve, the better your health will be. So make an effort to incorporate vagus nerve stimulation massage into your health care regimen as frequently as possible.
Contact one of the caring massage therapists at MVMT Physio & Chiro soon and we can start stimulating your vagus nerve and improving your quality of life. Now booking new clients!