What Are the Causes of Vagus Nerve Damage?
The vagus nerve is one of 12 cranial nerves, exiting the skull rather than through the vertebral column. The vagus nerve is the tenth cranial nerve 34. This nerve supplies motor nerve impulses to the muscles of the voice box and tongue, receiving sensory impulses from the throat, ear and the organs of the chest and abdomen, and supplying visceral nerve impulses to the glands of the throat, chest and abdominal organs.
Diabetes
In cases where diabetes has damaged the vagus nerve, it can cause gastroparesis, a condition wherein the muscles of the stomach and intestine are not able to efficiently move food through the gastrointestinal system 1. Gastroparesis manifests in symptoms such as:
- nausea
- vomiting
- heartburn
- constipation
- abdominal bloat
- stomach spasms
- decreased appetite
Alcoholism
Pancreatitis Caused by Vitamin B12 Deficiency
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Chronic alcohol abuse is known to cause damage to nerves, a condition referred to as alcoholic neuropathy. Alcohol abuse has a dose-related toxic effect on the autonomic nervous system, of which the vagus nerve is a part. Abstaining from alcohol can reverse the damage to the vagus nerve.
Infection and Surgical Complications
Vagus nerve damage can occur following upper respiratory viral infections. These infections initially involved symptoms such as cough, nasal congestion and runny noses. Symptoms that persisted in patients identified as having post viral vagal neuropathy, or PVVN, included cough, throat clearing, difficulty speaking and vocal fatigue.include:
- Symptoms that persisted in patients identified as having post viral vagal neuropathy
- or PVVN
- included cough
- throat clearing
- difficulty speaking
- vocal fatigue
Related Articles
References
- American Diabetes Association: Gastroparesis
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America: The Spectrum of Diabetic Neuropathies
- Rice University: Vagus Nerve
- Journal of Anatomy and Physiology: Anatomy of the Anterior Vagus Nerve: An Anatomic Description and its Application in Surgery
- Encyclopaedia Britannica. Vagus nerve. Updated December 26, 2019.
- Cleveland Clinic. Syncope. Updated May 14, 2019.
- Petroianu GA. Treatment of hiccup by vagal maneuvers. J Hist Neurosci. 2015;24(2):123-36. doi:10.1080/0964704X.2014.897133
- Hayes DD. Teaching the modified Valsalva maneuver to terminate SVT. Nursing. 2018;48(12):16. doi:10.1097/01.NURSE.0000547735.82178.71
- Lagoo J, Pappas TN, Perez A. A relic or still relevant: the narrowing role for vagotomy in the treatment of peptic ulcer disease. Am J Surg. 2014;207(1):120-6. doi:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2013.02.012
- Johnson RL, Wilson CG. A review of vagus nerve stimulation as a therapeutic intervention. J Inflamm Res. 2018;11:203-213. doi:10.2147/JIR.S163248
- Henry TR. Therapeutic Mechanisms of Vagus Nerve Stimulation. Neurology 2002; 59:S3.
- Morris GL 3rd, Gloss D, Buchhalter J, et al. Evidence-based Guideline Update: Vagus Nerve Stimulation for the Treatment of Epilepsy: Report of the Guideline Development Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology 2013; 81:1453.
- Shuchman M. Approving the Vagus-Nerve Stimulator for Depression. N Engl J Med 2007; 356:1604.
Writer Bio
For 15 years, Charis Grey's award-winning work has appeared in film, television, newspapers, magazines and on the Internet. She has worked as a story editor on the CBS drama "Flashpoint" and her work appears bimonthly in "The Driver Magazine." She has a Bachelor of Science in biology and a doctorate in chiropractic medicine from Palmer College.