Vagal Nerve Stimulation

[thinkin]

Hi,

I've been having a really bad year after an infection I think was covid. I can't afford to be tested, so I can't be sure. I've started doing trans auricular vagal nerve stimulation (taVNS) via ear clips and an ordinary TENS machine on low and I seem to be a good responder to this treatment. I'm not back to (my) normal and far from cured, but to be able to cook and shop again is great for someone confined to bed and couch for months. It's also turned my tinnitus right down - bonus. The abdominal pain I've had for months without finding out what was causing it seems to have almost gone.

I've also been doing the deep breathing - the right way this time - engaging my diaphragm, stimulating my dive reflex by submerging my face in water, cold shower for about a minute (it feels so much longer though). I thought I'd ask if anyone one else out there has tried taVNS? If so has it helped.

I know there isn't enough research out there and there are people making promises on studies with very small cohorts - a lot involving less than 50 people, half of whom are placebo group. It doesn't seem to do any harm other than the ear clips pinch a bit. Not everyone responds to the treatment, whether this is due to slightly different anatomy, or the set levels are not enough for some - no one knows yet. Some take 2 weeks to respond and I was lucky and took to it straight away. I just have to keep an eye on my gut transit time.

I'm a great self experimenter as long as it involves legal, safe things and I'm always interested to know about anyone else's experience with this. So I send this out into the void to see what I can find.

[Shimmyaway]

Do you have references to research on the auricular vagal nerve stimulation please? I find just a little manual stimulation around the ears provokes whole body shaking down that side. I tried a TENS machine (on low) on my leg .... yes I got results ..10 seconds of stimulation gave me 10 minutes of a jerking/shaking leg, so dropped the idea. I thought these things were meant to calm us down ..no such luck!

[thinkin in reply to Shimmyaway]

Hi,

Yes, it's weird how some of us things help and in others it makes worse, that's why I thought I'd ask around. There's supposed to be more afferent nerves near the ear so they travel towards the brain. Some say the square waves work, other say a different type of stimulation is needed, a more smoother wave.

There's only small studies not related to FND's, although they are supposed to be looking into it for fibromyalgia. Have a look around google scholar, the studies are easy to find. taVNS, nVNS, you could try VNS, but it seems that there are implanted devices. I can't remember where I was looking other than scholar.

I know it can be frustrating on things supposing to calm you down and not doing so. I was put on beta blockers once and instead of chilling me out they sent me up the wall. Have you tried any diets or vitamin supplements? I have to do sulphite free because I'm asthmatic, and then take vitamins that I don't absorb enough of. It's not cheap as I have to take bioactive forms so they are ready to go.

Good luck hunting for things that help. x

[Shimmyaway in reply to thinkin]

I haven't tried any particular type of diet, but have tried excluding some things for a week, e.g meat, dairy, gluten .. or increasing fibre ... all to no effect in ensuring smooth digestion. I have found the best way to get rid of 'the shaking energy' inside me is to do some exercise ..as this provokes shaking in my case..even deep breathing has this effect. I am running out of ideas on how to calm down the system and the hyper sensitivity to touch, heat and sound...but don't want to give up...have to be grateful I don't have co-morbidities with the fnd. Keep thinkin'.