The Vagus Nerve

Image from Medical gallery of Blausen Medical 2014

What is it?

Meaning “the wandering nerve”, this fantastic nerve runs from the base of your skull (it attaches to your spinal cord) and down the center of your body into and all around your gut. It is the key player in your parasympathetic nervous system. Think of it as the main highway that sends certain information between the brain and your heart, lungs, digestive system and even fascia.

Functions:

It plays a big role in involuntary sensory functions like:

• Digestion

• Heart rate, blood pressure and breathing

• Immune system responses

• Mood

• Skin and muscle sensations

• Speech

Dysfunction:

*Outside of direct damage to the nerve, like a tear or damage from physical injury*

It is about balance. The sympathetic and parasympathetic sides of your nervous system intend to work in harmony. They are there to support your physical body, which in turn supports your mental health.

Your sympathetic nervous system helps assess a dangerous situation (fight, flight, freeze & fawn) and your parasympathetic helps you rest, renourish and recover.

If your sympathetic nervous system gets sent into overdrive, it is designed to “push away” the parasympathetic side to get things done.

Temporary imbalance or dysregulation is healthy when needed, again these things exist to protect and support us. If you are in physical danger, it may not be the time for relaxation and a snack, you need your sympathetic system to kick in and get you to safety. Or you have a work deadline to meet, or last minute kid’s project, you need to be able to rise to the occasion. The problem occurs when stress, anxiety and trauma become the regular state of functioning, when they become the pattern.