Vagus Nerve Series Part 3 Alternative Treatments for Vagus Nerve Dysfunctions
- lisa039464
- Mar 20
- 6 min read
There are many alternative treatment options for Vagus Nerve Dysfunction, including Brain Integration Technique. BIT can decrease stress on the entire nervous system, including the Vagus Nerve.
Previous Articles in This Series:
Summary from Parts 1 & 2
The job of the Autonomic Nervous system (ANS) is to maintain a healthy balance between our sympathetic NS and parasympathetic NS.
When healthy, the ANS flows fluidly between states of rest and action as a situation requires. When in dysfunction, we can get stuck in a keyed-up “fight or flight” state or in a shut down “freeze” state (or a combination of the two) for the long term.
This can lead us to experience emotional and physical concerns such as: heart palpitations, blood pressure issues, gut health issues, passing out, anxiety, depression, disengagement, and feeling “stuck.”
Because the vagus nerve extends down to various organs, we can experience a variety of physical problems when it is in dysfunction (Ex: heart rate, blood pressure, digestion)
The body may need outside help in order to return to a healthy state of “rest and digest,” where our minds can calm and our vital body processes can work they way they were designed to.
Introduction
In the previous two articles we discussed the anatomy and function of the autonomic nervous system and what happens when things go wrong within that system.
The vagus nerve is the key component of the parasympathetic nervous system, performing approximately 75% of its work. It influences multiple bodily functions and promoting a state of relaxation. However, if it gets “stuck” functioning in a continuous fight, flight or freeze state, it often needs some help in returning to the relaxed “rest and digest” state from which our bodies and minds function at their best. This help can come in a number of different forms.
Treatment of Vagus Nerve Dysfunctions
In this article we will highlight a variety of interventions currently being used to correct vagus nerve dysregulation. These are just a few of many options that a treatment plan may include.
We will separate them in the basic categories:
Medical Approaches
Cognitive Approaches
Physical/Somatic Approaches
Brain Integration Technique
The premise of BIT is to decrease stress on the entire nervous system- including the Vagus Nerve.
Medical Approaches
Medications: Medications such as anti-convulsant or antidepressants may be used to help regulate nerve function and pain or mood disturbances associated with vagus nerve conditions.
Vagus Nerve Stimulator (VNS): Vagus nerve stimulators are surgically implanted devices that deliver electrical impulses to the vagus nerve to promote more of a “rest and digest” state. These are often used to treat epilepsy, depression and other mood disorders.
Lifestyle Modifications: While these interventions are more indirect, physicians or physical therapists may advised making lifestyle changes such as managing stress, regular exercise, and a healthy diet to help support overall nerve health and reduce symptoms associated with vagus nerve disorders.
Cognitive Approaches
These traditional therapies for vagus nerve address issues “from the brain down” and can improve vagal tone and decrease stress. They are often used in conjunction with other interventions.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Coaching, and Positive Psychology can help clients manage anxiety and help correct negative thought patterns. They can help clients generate positive feelings, gratitude, and create plans for forward movement. These treatments can be very effective, but often take a long time, and a lot of consistent work for long term results to be experienced.
Guided Imagery and Visualization, such as Body Mapping, can induce relaxation and activate the vagus nerve.
Brain & Amygdala Retraining Programs such as The Gupta Program, Primal Trust, DNRS focus on reducing the chronic over activity of the limbic system and amygdala. These often take place over the course of several months to a year and involve regular online group coaching sessions with self directed activities between sessions. While their goals are similar, each program may be conducted quite differently.
Biofeedback methods, such as Heart Math can focus on reducing stress and stimulating the vagus nerve to regulate heart rate and heart rate variability. This, in turn, can have a number of positive physiologic effects related to vagus nerve function.
Somatic/Physical Approaches
Physical Therapy Manual Treatment for Vagus Nerve: This approach is unique in that it physically addresses the nerve at the points where it connects to various body organs. The therapist performs gentle manual releases to the nerve in order free it of any restrictions along its path.
Because a primary function of the vagus nerve is to bring messages from the body up to the brain, there can be excellent results in treating the nerve itself using manual techniques. These techniques- called neural manipulation and visceral manipulation- reduce physical tension on the nerve and allow the body to give more accurate information to the brain so that it can better direct physiologic activity.
Breath Work: Deep breathing techniques, such as diaphragmatic breathing or paced breathing, can stimulate the vagus nerve’s relaxation response, promoting a sense of calmness and reducing anxiety.
Yoga, Tai Chi: Mind-body practices like yoga and Tai Chi incorporate elements of physical movement, breathing exercises, and mindfulness. These practices have been shown to increase vagal tone and improve overall autonomic nervous system function
Progressive Muscle Relaxation: This technique involves systematically tensing and then relaxing different muscle groups in the body. By promoting physical relaxation, progressive muscle relaxation can help reduce emotional stress and stimulate the vagus nerve’s relaxation response.
Vagus Nerve Self-Stimulation Exercises: This includes a variety of activities and techniques that people can do themselves as needed or as part of a daily routine. They can be helpful in supporting a professionally directed treatment strategy. This topic will be discussed in more detail in the next article: Vagus Nerve Series- Part 4- Vagus Nerve Activities
Brain Integration Technique Can Help Vagus Nerve Dysfunction
Brain Integration Technique is an alternative medicine technique that aims to minimize stress, imbalances and dysfunctions in the brain’s neural pathways to improve cognitive function and emotional well-being. BIT is a specialty bioenergetic kinesiology technique that focuses specifically on reducing resistance in neural pathways in order to improve cognitive function and emotional well-being.
Many brain areas are addressed- including the ANS and Vagus Nerve. This works to identify imbalances and brain “glitches in order to optimize body/brain function by relieving cognitive and nervous system stress, and promote neural integration.
BIT also addresses both conscious and subconscious cognitive stress to ensure accurate, quality communication between your body and brain. The inability of the body and brain to communicate with proper signaling can cause “glitches” in the functions that the ANS and Vagus Nerve control- such as heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, etc.
BIT also focuses on the emotional components that can significantly affect our subconscious brains and how our bodies and nervous systems function. Because the ANS and Vagus nerve are so interconnected with our emotional centers, we make sure that this is addressed. This typically results in improved emotional regulation, less anxiety, and improved physiologic regulation.
“Much of the time people are behaving from a reactive standpoint– reactive, but functional. We are getting by in our day-to-day lives, but we are operating from an unhealthy state of fight-or-flight and we feel this both emotionally and physically.
BIT is primarily meant to calm the nervous system and correct subconscious “wiring” to prevent undesired responses of the nervous system- and vagus nerve. With BIT, we start to take stress out of the nervous system; freeing up resources to deal with the stresses that we could not deal with before.
BIT cleans up the “wiring” in order to support a long term fix and helps to prevent future “triggered” situations. During a session we have the opportunity to cross reference other variables, (such as brain processes, emotions and pathogens) and nullify how those variables affect the nervous system.
With BIT, the client’s cognitive processing becomes exponentially faster and more efficient. They no longer have to rely on the reactive coping mechanisms they did before, because their new processing can now automatically diffuse or prevent the system from becoming over-stressed. It does all of this WITHOUT exercises or medications!”
How McKinney Brain Integration Can Help
I customizing all sessions to fit my clients’ needs based on an in-depth consultation. My background in physical therapy, counseling, coaching, and nutrition enables me to add great intuition and depth to what I do using this alternative medicine technique. I am continually adding to my knowledge base so that I can serve my clients with the highest quality and provide the best results.
Prescott Brain Integration Prescott, AZ, BIT, Lisa McKinney, McKinney Brain Integration, Lynn Leu, Crossinology
References
Hayden, Wendy. The Vagus Nerve Gut Brain Connection: Heal your Vagus Nerve and Improve Gut Health. 2021.
Park, Yumi. Unleash Your Vagus Nerve. Stimulate Your Vagal Tone and Activate Its Healing Power with Daily Exercises to overcome Anxiety, Depression, Inflammation, Autoimmunity, Brain Fog, and Gut Sensitivities. 2022.
Rosenberg, S; Shield; B, Porges, S. Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve: Self-Help Exercises for Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, and Autism. North Atlantic Books, 2017.
Weller, Melanie. The Vitality Code: Vagus Nerve Activation. 2018, 2020. Professional continuing education course. https://www.melanieweller.com/
Weller, Melanie. The Vagus Nerve Decompression Course. September 2022. Professional continuing education course. https://www.melanieweller.com/
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