New York City 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 largest nerves spreading from the brainstem to the abdomen. What’s in the middle of the abdomen? The stomach! (Talk about a brain-gut connection!) Gastroparesis sufferers’ days are disrupted by nausea, pain, delayed stomach emptying, and even vomiting. (1) Rosenberg Wellness Center offers new studies about some less invasive potential treatments like vagal nerve stimulation and even spinal manipulation that may help calm the stomach and ease the upset for New York City stomach pain patients.
GASTROPARESIS
For those who experience gastroparesis, the symptoms may include a variety of problems they’d rather 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 attached to the nervous system, specifically the vagal nerve that extends throughout the body. No matter what triggers gastroparesis, most patients had problems with the brain-gut innervation via the vagus nerve and/or intestinal nervous system. (2,3) Medical treatment thus far has been limited in its effect due to the complexity of physiology of gastroparesis. (1) New York City gastroparesis patients at Rosenberg Wellness Center appreciate having some options that may help them with this condition.
TREATMENTS FOR GASTROPARESIS: VNS
Researchers stated that medical therapy has been limited in its ability to help. Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) was explained as promising though. More invasive surgical stimulation of the vagus nerve has been attempted with some success. New, non-invasive approaches included using a self-administered vagal nerve stimulator that reported improved gastric emptying for some. (1) Such a stimulator mimicked the surgical cervical vagal nerve stimulation. (4) Stimulating vagal afferents with transcutaneous (through the skin) auricular (ear) vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) improved gastric frequency and controlled digestion. To the researchers, this demonstrated that brain stimulation had influence on gut function. (2) They are connected, the brain and the gut! Using slow breathing with taVNS showed promise in addressing anxiety, chronic pain, depressive disorders, insomnia, and cardiovascular diseases, too. Researchers explained that slow breathing regulated vagus nerve activity and decreased psychophysiological stimulation making it of use in behavioral medicine. (4) Rosenberg Wellness Center offers that VNS may benefit New York City chiropractic patients with gastroparesis and even chronic pain associated with back pain and/or neck pain.
SPINAL MANIPULATION
Your New York City chiropractor is here to help with chiropractic skills and treatments to assist gastroparesis sufferers, too! And they may be old or young – adults and kids. Pediatric functional abdominal disorders involved struggles with digestion issues. Children with functional abdominal disorders experience digestion and/or nausea issues after eating. Drugs are often given. Non-drug treatments like stimulation to the external ear (an area the vagal nerve extends to), electrical stimulation, diet changes, pro/prebiotics, etc., also now include acupuncture, yoga, and spinal manipulation. (5) That is our forte at Rosenberg Wellness Center: spinal manipulation!
CONTACT Rosenberg Wellness Center
Listen to the PODCAST with Dr. James Cox on the Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes the vagus nerve, its influence on the nervous system, and how to combine its stimulation with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management in relieving pain.
Schedule your next New York City chiropractic appointment with Rosenberg Wellness Center. Bring your pain issues to us. We will design a treatment plan to help!