Vagus Nerve Stimulation for depression, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohns, epilepsy

[Josiesmum]

Interesting article on VNS which may have relevance to all Autoimmune disease:

theguardian.com/lifeandstyl...

There are lots of things we can do to stimulate our vagus nerve:

selfhacked.com/blog/28-ways...

Gut brain connection:

drkateklemer.com/uploads/7/...

[Heloise]

I'm so glad you are bringing out this information. I've just discovered the importance of vagal tone and explains the hoarse voice and swallowing difficulty. I think tinnitus may involved, too. I couldn't get the first link to work but maybe others can. Thank you.

[Milady]

fascinating! I had no idea about this. thanks for sharing.

[Marz]

Have often mentioned the vagus nerve in connection with the Uijay breath in yoga - great to make more people aware. Thank you Daily gargling hits the spot !

[Hidden]

The vagus nerve is well known in Yoga. Yoga breathing can help anyone cope with modern living especially, illness. I have been doing Yoga for over 30 years.

I also do bone breathing which is good for relaxation to.

Anyone can try and who knows with practice can help themselves to a much richer experience. The art of meditating is good too for anybody.

[Hidden]

Think info you have found is really helpful. Especially interested in the link between anxiety and depression and irritable bowel syndrome and with thyrotoxicosis and sleep deprivation.

The hypothalamus plays a large part in sleep and growth hormone and lack of sleep can cause

bizarre and untoward behaviour problems. If linked with overactive thyroid and irritable bowel

ECT is not indicated as it affects the involuntary muscles of the colon causing spasm.

Whilst vagal stimulation by electronic means might help some people with disorders such as

rheumatoid arthritis, am not sure that treatment for sleep disorder is not a better means of

helping people with depression. Have been reading interesting articles on melatonin production which helps sleep. Melatonin hormone is produced in the hypothalamus and also growth hormone. There are foods which encourage the production of melatonin such as oats bananas

orange juice and the highest source from fresh pineapple which has 220 percent more melatonin production ingredients to aid sleep. Melatonin supplements may not work, but melatonin production in the body nay be helped by these key foods. Apparently to be happy and to enjoy

outdoor physical activities and indoor activities such as watching a funny film, can help melatonin levels. Also we should sleep in the pitch black as if there is a light on in the bedroom it affects

melatonin production - but there are many folk like myself who are on diuretics and may have to get up in the night, and who have nigh blindness and who can trip over causing themselves damage - so I cannot sleep without a light in a corridor or without a night light.

Whilst believing in these natural methods, a sleeping pill has helped sleep patterns and with

anxiety and depression. Interested in in research showing that children who take antibiotics within the first six months are likely to be overweight. Can't say this holds for my family and don't believe this is the main reason for obesity in children. Diet is the main factor with diets too high in sugar

and cakes biscuits and starchy foods. Thanks for finding this interesting information.

[Heloise in reply to Hidden]

Have you watched any Dr. John Bergman videos on You Tube? Weak adrenals may be causing our nightly bathroom trips and does not advise taking diuretics. Night blindness may be a vitamin A deficiency which is also common if you are hypothyroid. You should look him up on You Tube, very brilliant man about all body functions.

[Hidden in reply to Heloise]

Think you are 100 percent right - but I have type two diabetes, and the diuretics are related to water retention due to hormone imbalance. If I stop taking them

my legs swell and go shiny. They also help blood pressure.

I read somewhere that vitamin A in a certain form helps night blindness but not sure if it was pro retinol a or derived from betacarotene. Interesting research shows that a type of vitamin A can reduce blood sugar for diabetes - but have not found any new research on it in the uk. If you know anything about vitamin A for night blindness and diabetes would be so please if you could tell me what foods

I can eat with vitamin A. Thanks.

[Heloise in reply to Hidden]

I realize that you can't just stop your medications but he makes statements that make you realize everything should not be treated with a pill. Your kidneys may be causing the high blood pressure in order to process more blood faster. The vagus nerve is involved in BP as well.

Are you also hypothyroid, ggg? We are challenged to get nutrients from our food because of stomach inflammation. So supplementing is useful until we get our digestion in order. Sea Buckthorn Oil is helpful for the eyes. It's an Omega 7.

[Hidden in reply to Heloise]

Thanks.

[Heloise in reply to Hidden]

Also, co-q-10 is excellent for the eyes but if someone takes a statin drug for high cholesterol, they will be robbing their body of naturally occuring cq10. Cholesterol is needed to repair the macula of the eye so I think I would prefer a higher cholesterol value than macular degeneration.

[Hidden in reply to Heloise]

That's useful - think I take chlosterol in cheese and dairy but don't take q10 must try it.

[Heloise]

Mum, we have to repeat this because I think it is a crucial aspect of many symptoms of hypothyroidism, hoarse voice, trouble swallowing, tinnitus, all controlled by the vagus nerve.

The first effect I ever read about in hypothyroidism is the smooth muscle. The vagus nerve is part of smooth muscle. This information is great and since every other organ is involved, the gut issues are also part of this entire system.

I will keep highlighting the importance whenever I can. Such good links, too. The stimulator is similar to the pacemaker for the heart which makes me think that is the source of A Fib.

[Hidden in reply to Heloise]

This is interesting information and may apply to some people with hypothyroid problems. As you know already there are other reasons for hoarse voice including nodes on the vocal chords, laryngeal cancer, psychological problems, with hysteria affecting breathing and voice control. Difficulty in swallowing might be due to a retro pharyangeal abcess.

It may be caused or by build up of a mucous pouch at the back of the throat, which gives rise to a feeling of a lump which won't go away. Surgery is indicated for this.

Thyroid swollen lymph nodes may also be a cause if they are in a groove, in the wind pipe, or thyroid nodules putting pressure on the windpipe. Retrosternal thyroid problems may give rise to breathing and swallowing problems and may be an indication for a thyroid op.

Hoarse voice and swallowing problems may be associated with motor neurone disease and Mysasthenia gravis, and from the after math of a stroke, and otherupper motor neurone disorders. Differential diagnosis is important.

Bio electronics has certain uses in cases of urgent bowel syndrome when there is

no warning when to empty bowels. An implant can help those with this problem

giving warning through bio mechanic implant. Bio mechanic medicine also helps people with nerve deafness. The remark about tinnitus is interesting as many people are desperate to get help for this. Some have botox. I get this with ENT problems with sinus and inner ear balance problems which may be due to mucous or an infection.

I do head exercises recommended by a specialist, which help the tinnitus and remove granular crystals which build up around the top of the cervical spine in the neck.

I have found daily antihistamines helps reduce the mucous in head and nose, as well as special drops which go into nostrils to the back of the throat into ear relieving pressure and pain.

[Heloise in reply to Hidden]

Sometimes if the hoarseness comes and goes you can rule out some of those things. There is a pacemaker being used to activate the vagus nerve to avoid seizures. The side effect is making the voice hoarse so I think it relates to that. Serrapeptase is very good at clearing out mucous if you have a slight wheeze or sinus problems. It's a proteolytic enzyme. Our other problem is that we do not detox well so the body can't always do the self cleanse that we normally could.

[Hidden in reply to Heloise]

Yes this is unknown to tme hough there are enzymes and catalysts for mucous such as citric fruit and acids in vinegar and some dispersible tablet vitamins. Where can I fin serrapeptase? Thanks again.

[Heloise in reply to Hidden]

I'll try to make this short but I've been exploring health problems for 20 years and first heard of enzymes from cancer treatments done by doctors who use the research. Dr. Burzynski and Dr. Gonzales were using enzymes to treat cancer and did you know that cancer was a fungus?

There are infections that hide from antibiotics and probably some are caused due to antibiotics. Anyway my husband had a problem on his hand and I read that serrapeptase might reduce the scar tissue because this enzyme can dissolve it. A funny thing happened while my husband was taking the serrpeptase. He was blowing his nose constantly. That's when I realized it also dissolves mucous so then I read about all the different proteolytic enzymes and it turns out that these enzymes will "eat" up amyloids and fibrin in the blood stream as well. Dr. John Barron and Dr. William Wong both have their own formulas and have researched them extensively. They can be used along with chemo and do not have side effects except for thinning the blood on high doses. Actually most people have thick blood and sticky blood is not good. If I had a serious condition that meets the requirements I would go for these formulas containing many enzymes. But Izabella Wentz has a protocol for Wobenzyme which is a proteolytic enzyme specifically for hypothyroid patients which I can look up for you. Wm. Wong actually went to Germany where it was first made.

Honestly, it's troubling that conventional medicine refuses to look into these solutions. I guess they are too busy making and selling more expensive drugs so they can then treat all the bad side effects. Yes, I am very cynical.

[Hidden in reply to Heloise]

That is fascinating and so interesting. Did you find the serrpeptase abroad? I am going to read the information about the bio implant to stimulate the vagal nerve.

Have you looked at Self Lymphatic drainage massage by Heather.com Louisville KY. It is on U tube through Bing search engine. As the massage can be done by copying Heather

whilst she shows her technique it is easy to use, and encourages massage over the vagal nerve, down the back of the neck. I found this soothing, and increases the circulation along the vagal nerve. As a fan of hand massage and reflexology, I think it is possible to stimulate the vagal nerve through foot and hand massage, round the thumbs, and round the big toe, and in between the toes, behind beneath the toes and in between the toes. I think tens cutaneous stimulation

might help on either side of the spine but not on the spinal column may be near the ridge at the back of the neck and on the shoulder margins. Bilateral massage on either side of the spine very gently will stimulate the vagal nerves. Single massage will do the same as the impukse from the nerve crosses over to the other side, so if one side is painful, massage of the other side will help to stimulate the blood supply. Your research must have positive leads for amyloidosis.

[Heloise in reply to Hidden]

Ha Ha, I think I've tried every do it yourself modality known to man from EFT emotional freedom technique to to facial lymph massage. Over twenty years of watching You Tube I have to say it's been a great learning experience. I also bought one of those portable tens units with two electrodes and use it on my lower back. Muscle pain is still a problem but I don't sleep well and it's hard to repair your muscles unless you do.

Also if you are in the UK, I'm the one that's abroad in the U.S.

As I was playing golf today, I was wondering how to massage my vagus nerve so I will definitely be looking into Heather. I actually may have seen her before.

A new topic from watching Izabella Wentz' series in August, one chiropractor said he worked on internal scar tissue from surgery. That was fascinating and his name is Wurn. He also said childbirth could cause them and people have pain without realizing it comes from that. He didn't explain what he did but I would love to know.

You should look up Wm Wong on Y T because he goes into all the relief these enzymes have brought including breast cysts.

I do have a bit of tingly in my toes so I am going to try your tip.

Private message me if you care to.

[Hidden in reply to Heloise]

Have been thinking about your one sided

intermittent pain and how you have tried

everything to resolve it. If you have swellings

or cysts on one side of the spine which you can feel can you feel them on the other side.

Expect you have checked how you are walking

and if you lean on one leg than the other.

My son had a dislocated hip from maternal

hormone problems when he was born. he had

to wear a splint for 6 months which was meant to cure the condition - unfortunately he gets

pain in in his hip and back if he does not

buy new shoes with a large sole. he wears on side dwon of one shoe than the other.

As for pain from internal adhesions after childbirth this must be the cause of pain in the

low back. A useful tip I have found is to keep

the pressure off the painful bits especially when sleeping. Instead of buying a memory foam mattress I buy a a thick high tog duvet place under blankets under it and a cotton sheet. I then

sleep on top of the duvet with cover, and have

another duvet on top.

The duvet has helped back pain and where your

legs and knees and feet are lying on a mattress which does not take the pressure off them.

I also use an electric under blanket under the

duvet, and surprisingly enough the heat goes through to the underduvet to help any pain in cold weather.

They say getting into a cold bed can delay sleep

and make your muscles tense.

New research encourages th use of wearing socks at night to improve sleep.

Watching your gait is also one way of seeing

how your muscles are working. Pigeon toed and

ten to two walking alters the way your muscles function. Posture is also important especially

when you sit. I have a backfriend chair which

gives your back a firm but comfortable posture

for your back and spine.

I have not had much time to read any of the articles you have written but am full of admiration of your dedicated research which must be so useful.

[Heloise in reply to Hidden]

Hi ggg, very good suggestions. We used to own a waterbed. Were those popular in the UK? Wonderful to crawl into and not exactly like floating but very comfortable. When we moved I decided to try an air bed and it is similar as you can let out the air and make it sag for your comfort. A firm mattress used to put in pain for days.

I would love to find a massage therapist who knows about the vagal nerve.

One of the interviews from the SIBO summit had a discussion of the vagus nerve. They mention huperzine to support the nerve somehow. I'm watching several summits which are pure gold. Tom O'Bryan's Betrayal was truly amazing and gives hope for every kind of physical problem which ALWAYS is coming from the BRAIN.

I do feel there is a movement right now and Naturopaths will have their moment and the word about natural healing is about to explode. In The Betrayal you saw the evidence that even long term multiple sclerosis can be put into complete remission. It's all about bacteria and the microbiome. And to change the microbiome you have to change what you eat.

Thank you for the suggestions, ggg.

[Heloise in reply to Hidden]

I'm sure Amazon or iHerb both sell it.

[Verity72]

Thank you, josiesmum, for this info. I've recently started researching the vagus nerve and finding it such a fascinating, and very relevant subject. At the moment only really focusing on breathing and humming, but it's making a significant difference to my husband's wellbeing.