by Eric Winder, DC 

The vagus nerve has a unique role in your health. It runs from a small hole in your skull, down your neck, then to all your organs. However, when it is injured or low in function, it can cause a host of problems, from nausea and ear pain, to a hoarse voice and even depression. While there are many options to temporarily stimulate the vagus nerve and relieve some of these problems, fascia release therapies can make profound, lasting improvements in this nerve’s function by permanently releasing restrictions that irritate the nerve. 

As an example, a patient, whom I will refer to as Pamela, recently came to our office.  She suffered from neck and lower back pain from a car accident two years ago. Pamela also experienced frequent bouts of nausea and a chronic dry cough.  Her initial treatment in our office focused on fascia restrictions caused by joint and muscle injury from the car accident. However, treating those areas caused only partial relief of her pain.   

Due to the dry cough and nausea, both potential symptoms of vagus nerve trauma, I changed the focus of her treatment to connective tissue in areas that could affect the vagus nerve. Releasing restrictions in the front of the neck, left side of the sternum, and several points in the abdominal muscles gave tremendous relief to Pamela’s neck and back pain.   

Her nausea and dry cough also disappeared as a result of this vagus nerve focused treatment. She was thrilled, but somewhat surprised, that focus on the vagus nerve helped so much. I explained to her that, among other problems, the vagus nerve can cause organ tension or irritation, which then could refer pain into the spine. Pamela’s spinal pain had been caused by restriction around the nerve resulting from her accident. 

While there are many potential causes of vagus nerve injury, the most common include whiplash, diabetes, Lyme’s disease, extreme stress and upper respiratory viral infections.  Symptoms of vagus nerve trauma can vary because the nerve is connected to so many places in the head and abdomen.  

There are vagus nerve connections to the skin around the ear and to the vocal cords, so vagus problems potentially can cause ear pain or a hoarse, wheezing voice. Connections to the roof of the mouth and throat can also mean problems swallowing or a chronic cough. Because the vagus links to almost all of the internal organs, problems with the nerve can also cause symptoms and issues as varied as unusual heartrate, nausea, bloating, gastroparesis (lack of stomach motion) and constipation.  

For people who are experience only mild vagus nerve irritation, there are a variety of home practices to help improve this nerve's “tone,” or level of function. All of the following have been shown to improve tone in the vagus nerve:   

As I mentioned above, fascia release therapy can often provide lasting relief for vagus nerve symptoms. Fascia (fibrous connective tissue) is practically everywhere in the body including in all the areas where the vagus nerve is located. At our office, we use hands-on fascia release therapy to release restrictions from the fascia in the abdomen, chest and neck that can potentially cause irritation to this important nerve.   

In some cases, we also utilize low-level laser therapy to relax the areas around the nerve and improve its function. With thorough treatment, fascia release therapy can improve the symptoms of vagus nerve dysfunction to restore quality of life and health. 

You are invited to attend an evening program on March 25, where you can learn in-depth about fascia, why it is important, and how to solve fascia problems when they create gut symptoms. Dr. Eric Winder will discuss case examples, provide a treatment demonstration and hold a Q&A session following the presentation. Attendees are invited to arrive at 6:50 p.m. for refreshments, and the program itself will take place from 7–8 p.m. This free event is located at 3131 S Tamiami Trail, #102, Sarasota. To RSVP, call 941-957-8390. Dr. Eric Winder has 23 years in practice, and focuses on relieving pain and restoring alignment and motion through fascia release therapies without forceful manipulation. For more information, visit GentleBay.com.