Richmond Spinal Manipulation and VNS May Help Gastroparesis (Stomach Issues)
Stomach pain and associated issues can upset more than the stomach. The body is filled with 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) Johnson Chiropractic shares new studies about some less invasive potential treatments like vagal nerve stimulation and even spinal manipulation that may help calm the stomach and alleviate the upset for Richmond stomach pain patients.
GASTROPARESIS
For those who experience gastroparesis, the symptoms may consist of a variety of problems they’d 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 defined and tied to the nervous system, particularly the vagal nerve that goes throughout the body. No matter what triggers gastroparesis, most patients had 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 due to the physiological complexity of gastroparesis. (1) Richmond gastroparesis patients at Johnson Chiropractic will like having some options that may help them with this condition.
TREATMENTS FOR GASTROPARESIS: VNS
Researchers stated that medical therapy has been reduced 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 incorporated the use of 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) enhanced gastric frequency and better regulated digestion. To the researchers, this demonstrated that brain stimulation influenced gut function. (2) They are linked, 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 wrote that slow breathing regulated vagus nerve activity and reduced psychophysiological stimulation making it useful in behavioral medicine. (4) Johnson Chiropractic offers that VNS may interest Richmond chiropractic patients who have gastroparesis and even chronic pain associated with back pain and/or neck pain.
SPINAL MANIPULATION
Your Richmond chiropractor wants to use the 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 (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 Johnson Chiropractic: spinal manipulation!
CONTACT Johnson Chiropractic
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 mix its stimulation with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management in relieving pain.
Make your next Richmond chiropractic appointment with Johnson Chiropractic. Bring your pain issues to us. We will design a treatment plan to help!