Ashburn and Herndon Spinal Manipulation and VNS May Help Gastroparesis (Stomach Issues)
Stomach pain and associated 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 spreading 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) Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn offers new studies regarding some less invasive potential treatments like vagal nerve stimulation and even spinal manipulation that may help calm the stomach and alleviate the upset for Ashburn and Herndon stomach pain patients.
GASTROPARESIS
For those who suffer with gastroparesis, the symptoms may include any number of problems they would like to not have. Researchers explained that any number of factors combined can trigger gastroparesis and impact quality of life. The metabolic feedback connection between the gut and brain have been described and attached to the nervous system, specifically the vagal nerve that travels throughout the body. Regardless of what causes gastroparesis, most patients exhibited problems with the brain-gut innervation by means of the vagus nerve and/or intestinal nervous system. (2,3) Medical treatment so far has been limited in its effect due to the physiological complexity of gastroparesis. (1) Ashburn and Herndon gastroparesis patients at Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn will like having 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 described as promising though. More invasive surgical stimulation of the vagus nerve has been tried with some success. New, non-invasive approaches included using a self-administered vagal nerve stimulator that was reported to improve 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) helped gastric frequency and controlled digestion. To the researchers, this showed that brain stimulation had influence on gut function. (2) They are linked, the brain and the gut! Using slow breathing with taVNS demonstrated 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 useful in behavioral medicine. (4) Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn offers that VNS may interest Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic patients who experience gastroparesis and even chronic pain associated with back pain and/or neck pain.
SPINAL MANIPULATION
Your Ashburn and Herndon 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 involved problems with digestion issues. Children with functional abdominal disorders experience digestion and/or nausea issues after eating. Drugs are often prescribed. 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 incorporate acupuncture, yoga, and spinal manipulation. (5) That is our forte at Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn: spinal manipulation!
CONTACT Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn
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 Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic appointment with Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn. Bring your pain issues to us. We’ll design a treatment plan to help!