Baton Rouge 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 disturbed by nausea, pain, delayed stomach emptying, and even vomiting. (1) Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers offers 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 Baton Rouge stomach pain patients.
GASTROPARESIS
For those who suffer with gastroparesis, the symptoms may consist of a variety of problems they would 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, specifically the vagal nerve that extends throughout the body. Regardless of what triggers gastroparesis, most patients experienced problems with the brain-gut innervation via the vagus nerve and/or intestinal nervous system. (2,3) Medical treatment so far has been limited in its effect because of the physiological complexity of gastroparesis. (1) Baton Rouge gastroparesis patients at Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers appreciate knowing some options for helping 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 said to be 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 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 better regulated digestion. To the researchers, this demonstrated that brain stimulation had influence on gut function. (2) They are connected, the brain and the gut! Adding slow breathing to 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) Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers offers that VNS may benefit Baton Rouge chiropractic patients who experience gastroparesis and even chronic pain related to back pain and/or neck pain.
SPINAL MANIPULATION
Your Baton Rouge 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 include problems with digestion issues. Children with functional abdominal disorders have digestion and/or nausea issues after eating. Drugs are often prescribed. 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 is our experienced skill at Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers: spinal manipulation!
CONTACT Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers
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 mix its stimulation with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management in relieving pain.
Schedule your next Baton Rouge chiropractic appointment with Medical Spine and Sports Injury and Rehab Centers. Bring your pain issues to us. We will work up a treatment plan to help!