They have some nerve!
Van nerve stimulators are making waves as a potential way of relaxing, better sleeping and improving intestinal health.
But an expert on the Vanne nerve warns that non -invasive ven devices may not be promised.
“There is no evidence that the use of these devices to deliver electricity in the ear or the skin of the neck stimuli the nerve vanus,” said Dr. Kevin J. Tracey, President and CEO of Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research.
Tracey, who wrote the new book, “The Great Nerve”, and is often called the “founding father” of bioelectronic medicine, reduces the noise of nervous therapy Vagus to distinguish the benefit of buzz.
What is the van nerve?
The Van Nerve is a complex network of more than 200,000 fibers that acts as a Superhwighway of information between the brain and the main organs.
It is a paired structure: Think two thumbs or two kidneys, with one on each side of the brain trunk at approximately the level of the ears, going down the neck and chest to reach the heart, lungs and gastrointestinal tract.
It regulates essential body functions such as heart rate, breathing and digestion.
“The vagus nerve is the tenth cranial nerve and the longest nerve in the body,” Trey said. “It is also the only nerve that would cause death if cut by both parties.”
How can the van nerve be stimulated?
Deep breathing, discomfort, hitting, singing and immersion in cold water are often suggested ways to stimulate the nerve, but TRACEY warns that “scientific comprehension and proof of most of these suggestions are missing.”
“Humming can stimulate a few hundred fibers connected to the voice box, but they are not the same fibers that go to the heart or regulate inflammation,” he added.
Tracey supports implantable devices that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved for the treatment of epilepsy, depression and stroke rehabilitation.
A dust generator, similar to a pacemaker, is implanted on the chest and a wire connects it to the nerve goes to the neck. A doctor programs equipment to offer electrical stimulation at established intervals.
In the meantime, non -invasive stimulators are designed to be placed in the ear or neck to send the impulses.
Tracey compared these devices with tens, which have been used for decades to deliver electricity through the skin to stimulate the nerves and relieve pain.
He said that small clinical trials suggest that VNs at home can relieve headaches, back pain and anxiety, but there are a large number of random and controlled clinical trials to support these claims.
“There is no way to know if the unit has stimulated a branch of the nerve vagus or also stimulates many other nerves,” said Tracey.
“Stimulate a small number of fibers in the neck or the ear is quite different from stimulating the vagus nerve as it occurs by implanting a device approved by the FDA.”
What conditions is the VNS addressed?
“The earliest conditions are likely to be the vagus nerve stimulation are rheumatoid arthritis, intestinal inflammatory disease, and multiple sclerosis, but rheumatoid arthritis is likely to be the first indication in the United States,” said Treley.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and joint pain. VNS can help -you signal the brain to reduce inflammation.
Vns is also exploring for longevity. The 47 -year -old Bryan Johnson, Bryan Johnson, said that he applies electrical impulses to his ear “to the first potential signs of illness”, such as a sudden fall of heart rate variability.
Vagus nerve dysfunction can lead to heart rate and blood pressure changes, digestive problems such as nausea and swelling, fainting episodes, difficulty swallowing and chronic inflammation.
“If the increase in the vagus nerve activity decreases chronic inflammation, it is reasonable to suggest that it can improve the duration of health and quality of life as people grow old,” Tray thought. “These ideas are being studied in clinical laboratories and trials worldwide.”
Before buying a VNS device
TRACEY recommends consulting a doctor before using a dozens unit or a similar gadget to ensure that you do not have heart risks, neurological or other people. And buyers need to take care.
“Name a dozens unit a” vagus nerve stimulator “does not mean that the unit stimulates the vagus nerve. It may or may not be,” said Tracey.
“It is not a requirement for the marketing of these devices that has been shown that the name of the device corresponds to what is really happening.”
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