akj Posted February 7 Report Share Posted February 7 Was just reading about a 2023 study from the University of Oklahoma about some success with vagus nerve stimulation that produced some POTs symptom relief. Emerging Role of Autonomic Modulation by Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation: Electrifying Hope in POTS?∗ Has anyone tried something like this and was it at all helpful? AKJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumpkin Posted March 4 Report Share Posted March 4 I've tried it at the drs office and yes it can be a huge relief when you need it. The first time was trippy, never felt anything like having my nervous system brought back down to a resting rate like that, took me a minute to get my bearings afterward. The effects last for as long as you can avoid the next trigger, stressor, etc. So in that regard, the visits can get expensive, BUT if you're still working on treating the underlying/root cause and if you're really struggling through it, the VNS can be a big relief, even just to give you a break from the symptoms for a bit. I about cried when I left the first session cuz I had been such an amped up wreck in the weeks before, I couldn't believe I'd finally gotten some relief from it, I had been terrified that I was gonna be stuck in this state forever, but VNS showed me that my body is still capable of calming down.. there's just work to be done to get it back to that place again. It's definitely got therapeutic value.. I just wish my vagus nerve was managing things better on its own 🥲 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akj Posted March 4 Author Report Share Posted March 4 Thank you bumpkin. Appreciate the information. Was this done during a physical therapy session, a chiropractic session, or with a primary care physician’s help? Who does VNS? Thank you, akj. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumpkin Posted March 5 Report Share Posted March 5 Np, I see a chiropractor who specializes in Functional Neurology. If you look around online for a functional neurologist near you, usually the website will list off what services they offer, VNS seems to be a pretty common offering at those specialists Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumpkin Posted March 5 Report Share Posted March 5 It's probably been implied from my posts so far, but I just realized I should specify for clarity since VNS appears to traditionally be a surgical implantable.. The VNS I'm referring to, my doctor uses a simple non-invasive external device with an ear clip. Idk how often doctors recommend the VNS implants to patients, that seems like something would be best reserved for extreme cases where the root cause can't be treated.. but, knowing how scalpel-happy some doctors are! I wouldn't be surprised if the implant procedure is more common than I'd think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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