The vagus nerve connects the brain to your major organ systems. It’s sometimes referred to as the “pacemaker for the brain.” Until recently, no one talked about the vagus nerve. Now everyone in the health and wellness world talks about it like it’s a magical button that you can shock — or “stimulate” — to good health.
“The vagus nerve touches pretty much every body system,” said Dr. Tracy Centanni, director of the Genetics of Auditory and Visual Perception and Plasticity Lab at the Univ. of Florida. “I would never say that an approach is magical or a panacea, but I do see promise in vagus nerve stimulation for its ability to help with a lot of different things.”
That’s the problem. The vagus nerve could be key to helping with many issues. But influencers are talking about it like it is the one-stop shop for fixing everything.
“There are billions of web impressions and social media posts on the vagus nerve,” said Dr. Kevin Tracey, a neurosurgeon and president of the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research at Northwell Health. “A lot of it is being driven by influencers who are saying, ‘Just do this to simulate your vagus nerve, and all the problems in your life will be solved.’”
While some vagus nerve stimulators are real medical devices approved for a few conditions, many are just gadgets you can buy online. They promise to cure what ails you without any proof.
Nerves communicate through electrical impulses. By shocking them, you influence the messages they are sending. Researchers hope that, as the vagus nerve touches so many systems in the body, it could be used for many issues. But there isn’t much solid research.
The FDA has approved vagus nerve stimulation for some types of epilepsy, depression, stroke recovery, rheumatoid arthritis, migraines and opioid withdrawal symptoms. Some research has found it may help with anxiety, insomnia and inflammation.
If you can buy it online, you should question a vagal stimulator’s authenticity. Generally speaking, you need surgery or a prescription to get a useful device. What is available through the TikTok Shop is very lightly regulated and doesn’t have to prove that it works. The device you buy online may cause redness or tingling, but it is unlikely to harm or help you. In general, they’re too weak to burn you.
“The good news is that you’re not going do any harm,” said Dr. Centanni about people buying devices off the internet. “The worst thing that happens is it doesn’t work.”
There are ways to impact the vagus nerve without electrical shocks through manual actions instead. Breathing from the diaphragm activates the nerve and acts as a natural tranquilizer. Yoga tones the nerve, making it stronger and aiding emotional regulation. Actions that activate the throat and diaphragm all stimulate the vagus nerve, so laughing, singing and washing your face with cold water can all aid your vagus nerve.
