tVNS - vagus stimulator

What is the vagus nerve?

The vagus nerve, also known as the tenth cranial nerve or vagus nerve, is an important part of the peripheral nervous system.

It belongs to the so-called parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for regulating rest, relaxation and regeneration. The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body and extends from the brain to the organs in the abdominal cavity.

The main function of the vagus nerve is to provide a link between the brain and various organs of the body, including the heart, lungs, gastrointestinal tract and internal organs. The vagus nerve plays a crucial role in regulating heart rhythm, respiration, digestion and metabolism.

As part of the parasympathetic nervous system, the vagus nerve acts as the antipole of the sympathetic nervous system, responsible for activating the body and preparing it for physical or emotional stress. It has a calming effect on the body and promotes relaxation, regeneration and balance in the autonomic nervous system.

In addition, the vagus nerve plays an important role in regulating the immune system, inflammatory responses and mood. By stimulating the vagus nerve, certain therapeutic effects can be achieved, including reducing inflammation, improving mood and overall well-being.

What is tVNS?

Transcutaneous electrical vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) is the stimulation of the vagus nerve through the skin.

It is delivered by electrical impulses to the tragus, the front of the outer ear. This stimulation has the ability to modulate the vagus nerve and can have a variety of positive effects on the body, such as regulating heart rhythm, reducing inflammation and improving overall health.

What is neuromodulation?

Neuromodulation is a technology that works directly on the nerves. It is the alteration - or modulation - of nerve activity by the direct delivery of electricity or drugs to a target area.

Neuromodulation devices and treatments can be life-changing. They affect every area of the body and treat almost every ailment or symptom from headaches to tremors to spinal cord damage to urinary incontinence. With such a wide therapeutic scope and with significant ongoing advances in biotechnology, it is not surprising that neuromodulation promises to be one of the most promising methods of the next decade.

Neuromodulation is most often thought of in the context of chronic pain relief, which is the most common indication today.

There are, however, many applications of neuromodulation, such as deep brain stimulation (DBS) for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, sacral nerve stimulation for the treatment of pelvic disorders and incontinence, and spinal cord stimulation for the treatment of ischemic disorders (angina, peripheral vascular disease).

In addition, neuromodulation devices can trigger responses that were not previously possible, such as a cochlear implant to restore hearing in a deaf patient.

The most recent application is vagus stimulation via the tragus (tVNS), which has been shown to have beneficial effects in atrial fibrillation, depression, anxiety, post-covid, long-covid, rheumatoid arthritis and chronic fatigue syndromes.

A growing number of disorders can be treated with neuromodulation.