Elgin Spinal Manipulation and VNS May Help Gastroparesis (Stomach Issues)
Stomach pain and related issues can upset more than the stomach. The body is full of nerves from the head to the toes, and the stomach is in the middle of it all! The vagus nerve is one of the biggest nerves extending from the brainstem to the abdomen. What is in the middle of the abdomen? The stomach! (Talk about a brain-gut connection!) Gastroparesis sufferers’ days are disturbed by nausea, pain, delayed stomach emptying, and even vomiting. (1) Connected Chiropractic shares new studies regarding some less invasive potential treatments like vagal nerve stimulation and even spinal manipulation that may help calm the stomach and ease the upset for Elgin stomach pain patients.
GASTROPARESIS
For those who suffer with gastroparesis, the symptoms may consist of any number of problems they’d like to not have. Researchers explained that any number of factors combined can trigger gastroparesis and disrupt quality of life. The metabolic feedback connection between the gut and brain have been defined and tied to the nervous system, particularly the vagal nerve that goes throughout the body. No matter what triggers gastroparesis, most patients experienced problems with the brain-gut innervation by means of the vagus nerve and/or intestinal nervous system. (2,3) Medical treatment thus far has been imperfect in its effect because of the physiological complexity of gastroparesis. (1) Elgin gastroparesis patients at Connected Chiropractic will like knowing some options that may help them with this condition.
TREATMENTS FOR GASTROPARESIS: VNS
Researchers noted that medical therapy has been limited in its ability to help. Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) was said to be promising though. More invasive surgical stimulation of the vagus nerve has been tried with some success. New, non-invasive approaches incorporated the use of a self-administered vagal nerve stimulator that reported improved gastric emptying for some. (1) Such a stimulator simulated the surgical cervical vagal nerve stimulation. (4) Stimulating vagal afferents with transcutaneous (through the skin) auricular (ear) vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) helped gastric frequency and controlled digestion. To the researchers, this demonstrated that brain stimulation influenced gut function. (2) They are connected, the brain and the gut! Using slow breathing with taVNS showed promise in treating anxiety, chronic pain, depressive disorders, insomnia, and cardiovascular diseases, too. Researchers explained that slow breathing normalized vagus nerve activity and decreased psychophysiological stimulation making it of use in behavioral medicine. (4) Connected Chiropractic offers that VNS may benefit Elgin chiropractic patients who have gastroparesis and even chronic pain associated with back pain and/or neck pain.
SPINAL MANIPULATION
Your Elgin chiropractor is here to help with chiropractic skills and treatments to help gastroparesis sufferers, too! And they come in all ages – adults and kids. Pediatric functional abdominal disorders include struggles with digestion issues. Children with functional abdominal disorders have digestion and/or nausea issues after eating. Drugs are often given. Non-drug treatments like stimulation to the external ear (a spot the vagal nerve reaches), electrical stimulation, diet changes, pro/prebiotics, etc., also now incorporate acupuncture, yoga, and spinal manipulation. (5) That’s our experienced skill at Connected Chiropractic: spinal manipulation!
CONTACT Connected Chiropractic
Listen to the PODCAST with Dr. James Cox on the Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he shares the vagus nerve, its impact on the nervous system, and how to blend its stimulation with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management in relieving pain.
Schedule your next Elgin chiropractic appointment with Connected Chiropractic. Bring your pain issues to us. We’ll design a treatment plan to help!