Healing the Vagus Nerve with Massage and Craniosacral Therapy

You've heard of the Vagus Nerve, but what is it and how can Massage and Craniosacral Therapy help?

The Vagus Nerve is the 10th cranial nerve and the longest nerve in the Autonomic Nervous System. It regulates several autonomic functions, such as digestion and heart rate.

It is even further classified as a Parasympathetic Nerve because it's function is dependent on proper BALANCE with the Sympathetic Nervous System. As you may recall the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) is simply put, responsible for rest, repair and digestion. The Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) is responsible for the fight-or-flight response.

Whenever we experience trauma or anything we perceive as danger, the SNS takes control, sending your body's energy only the vital body functions that remove you from danger. It increases heart rate, and stops things like digestion, tissue and cell repair, rest etc. that can be done once you are perceived as out of danger. These two systems cannot be activated at the same time. It is either one or the other.

You can imagine what happens to your body over time, especially in our current culture where chronic emotional and physical stress and trauma are dominant. Most people are suffering from some form of Vagal / stress response issues and years of interrupted digestion, reproductive and growth hormone production, tissue and cellular repair, causing all sorts of problems and inflammation throughout the body. The Vagus Nerve which regulates all of this becomes weak and needs to be strengthened in a healthy way, just like a muscle, to regain control.

How many people do you know who have high blood pressure? Could it be related to being in a constant state of fight-or-flight? How many people have digestive tract issues, such as acid reflux, or constipation. How many people cannot relax enough to have a good night's sleep, which exacerbates conditions like depression, migraines, fatigue, anxiety and panic attacks?

*HOW COULD THEIR LIVES BE CHANGED if their Parasympathetic Nervous System was allowed valuable time to do it's job for them?*

While conscious lifestyle changes and things like counseling are extremely important, Massage and Craniosacral Therapy are AMAZING ways to stimulate and strengthen your Vagus Nerve and activate the Parasympathetic Nervous System. Giving your body a chance to breathe deep, rest, digest and repair itself. This happens not only during your treatment, but for weeks and sometimes even years after.

Our body's have incredible power to heal themselves from many ailments, but if they are stuck in fight-or-flight, they never get the chance and health issue after health issue can begin to pile up.

Massage and Craniosacral Therapy work to put the body into a deep state of relaxation, allowing stress to melt away, stimulate your Vagus Nerve and Parasympathetic Nervous System, cause inflammation to decrease, and help your body begin the restorative healing work it so badly needs.

If you are ready to begin your healing journey, message me to schedule your Massage or Craniosacral Therapy session.

In Peace,

Ashley

Mother Nurture Holistic Wellness LLC