So you’ve received your kit and you’re excited about trying out your first session.
Getting started is very easy. Instructions are on screen and on the included card.
There is no one right way to do vagus nerve stimulation. As with everything, try things out to see what works best for you. Here are 10 tips and pointers to help you get the most out of your tVNS device:
1) You don't have to use the paste
Many people prefer not to. It’s a matter of choice. You can use the clip dry or with a little saline solution (salty water)
2) Make sure your skin is clean.
Skin is a living organ. It excretes a variety of fluids from salty sweat to lubricants and oils; and it picks up layers of dirt throughout the day. Your ears also contain waxes that can end up on the outer parts of the ear. And even the soaps and skin care products we use can leave a residue on the skin.
All of this can change the way you experience the stimulation session. The best thing to do is take a wet wipe, or simply some water on your thumb and finger and rub your tragus clean before you begin a session.
3) Attach the electrodes firmly.
It’s best to attach the electrodes as deeply onto your tragus as you can. You can either loop the wire over your ear or, even better, loop it over your right shoulder and run it behind your neck and then onto your left ear. Leave just enough length free to attach the clip at a comfortable angle. The weight of the wire is then either on your ear or on your shoulders and prevents the clip from dislodging during the session. This can be fiddly to begin with, but with practice, you’ll find it easy.
4) You may feel nothing at all.
Or, you may feel significant discomfort, such as pins and needles, which some people may find hard to tolerate. How people experience the stimulation varies greatly. Scientists don’t completely understand why this is, but it may be due to a number of reasons including your skin type and any residues that might be on the surface of your skin. Whatever the cause, the sensation you feel is because nerves in your skin are also triggered by the electrical current, which must pass through your skin to reach your vagus nerve. If you find the sensation hard to tolerate, try using the paste, or turning down the intensity. If, on the other hand, you feel nothing at all, you’re one of the lucky ones! In scientific studies, it is common to lower the stimulation level until the subject can barely notice the stimulation is active.
5) If it looks like it’s working, it probably is.
If the device is attached properly and showing a current, then the current will be flowing through your vagus nerve. If the electrodes cannot make good contact, the device will indicate this — in which case, you should refer to tips 1-3 above. If the device shows current is flowing, read on.
6) The longer you use the device, the less you will feel.
This is because the nerves in your skin are designed to adapt and ignore sensations that last consistently over time. The nerve cells in your skin are designed to notice change and are more sensitive to new sensations. As you become accustomed to the sensation of stimulation, you will find it more tolerable until eventually you may barely notice it.
7) Never pull the clip off during stimulation.
Doing so could be very uncomfortable. It’s best to pause the session by pressing the button on the device before removing the clip.
Discussion
excellent article
I HAD NO PROBLEM TILL I HAD NEDDLING ON MON. BY WED. COULD NOT SPEAK OR DIGEST , NEDDLING WAS DONE ON LEFT HIP TO EAS BURISIS AFTER LEFT KNEE.REPLACE MENT
I HAD NO PROBLEM TILL I HAD NEDDLING ON MON. BY WED. COULD NOT SPEAK OR DIGEST , NEDDLING WAS DONE ON LEFT HIP TO EAS BURISIS AFTER LEFT KNEE.REPLACE MENT
It sounds like the cat chewing the cable has caused a break in the connection which would explain the lack of sensation and needle behaviour. You can try soldering the wires to fix the connection the new replacement. We did select a heavier duty cable on the new version but I can confirm it wasn't tested on cats.
my son purchased the vagus nerve device for me about 3-4 years ago.... i see that the ear clips and wire have changed and appear to be more durable. my cat just chewed the wiring ( 2 thin ones.. one blue , one white) so i was wondering if he can solder it to repair? also i have 537 uses .. and no longer feel the tingling on my ear part like i did at first... does the device lose strength? must i use the wax each time for it to work effectively? when i try to up the strength, the red arrow moves to just over the halfway line and then falls back to zero. now it remains at just below 1/2 way but i don't feel the tinging sensation... thank you for answering all my questions~
How do I know if my vagal nerve is under or over acti e . I get tachyacardia and anxiety . I have a lot of digestive issues. IBS . Bloating seems to bring on the tachycardia .Thank you bonnie.10@homail.com
I have a vns implant tor epilepsy. The battery life may be getting low. What symptoms do I look for? I have been having night sweats for the last month. Could these be a sign of battery low?
Great, Reliable and very informative! I was diagnosed with a hiatal hernia and gerd 5 years ago. Cause: Inflammation and Low stomach acid. Currently, low Cortisol and high histamine levels. Disruption to my Vagus nerve! Any suggestions for repair Thank You.
Where in New York State or elsewhere Vagus Nerve CT scan available?
I have herniated discs at the cervical region and at the thoracic region. I have vagus nerve damage. Dry mouth and gastrointestinal issues. I am not sure where they are coming from, cervical or thoracic. Hard to eat anything with nausea and vomiting and digestion issues. Your thoughts?
Hi Cheryl, Try a parasite cleanse & I would recommend CBD @leaflifelondon. hope that helps
Ask your GP to refer you for scans of the area in question. Because the nerve runs through so many parts of the body this will help determine who is best to treat it. I recently had a paraganglioma removed from my neck so this was managed by an ENT.
How do you know when to increase the intensity?
Shortly after my first knee replacement surgery in 2012 during which l suspect the tube used to incubate me was too large because l could barely speak for weeks and had difficulty swallowing, was kept in a nursing home for three weeks after they assessed that l had a stroke even though aced their cognitive testing. My potassium levels crashed during this “stay” and now am on prescribed supplements for life. From the time l was released, l noticed eyesight deterioration and shortness of breath, which a specialist said was caused by trigeminal neuropathy. My GP has ordered various tests over the years with no determination of why shortness of breath is literally the norm for me. This year chronic dry cough and frequent asthmatic responses have joined my condition. Could my vagus nerve have been injured by the breathing tube? P.S. l have been dual chamber pacemaker dependent since 2006 due to loss of independent activity in my lower chamber, but heart function is good and four moderate leaky valves have changed very little since 2006. Again, wondering if vagus nerve could have been injured by breathing tube in 2012 and initiated the trigeminal neuropathy issues?
What type of Doctor would diagnose a problem with the Vagus nerve?
I'm a child/adult psychiatrist interest in more research-related as well as cost info on your product. Please send what you might have available. Thanks
Any relationship between vagus nerve /damage and small fiber neuropathy and autonomic neuropathy. I’ve been diagnosed with both plus gastroparesis. I’m now in advanced heart failure. It’s like something is attacking my body but nobody can figure it out. Not even the cause of the heart failure. It’s not hereditary. I would appreciate any advice you have. Cheryl
This is all very interesting. My relationship with IBS always follows courses of antibiotics taken for my frequent attacks of UTIs. My last attack I took four different courses of antibiotics leaving me with stomach ache sounding like IBS m I am 85 years old, I cannot take buscapan as I use eye drops for Glaucoma. At the moment I’m taking pre probiotics, recent peppermint oil capsules. Can you advise further please.
I am interested in ordering
I had facial shingles 6 years ago. It initially caused a uveitis, with a minimal skin rash. But I was left with tinnitus that is permanent; sometimes with nausea. It’s interesting reading this because a year later I lost my voice for 3 months and my hearing. And periodically felt it flared up, feeling unwell with above plus flu-like symptoms. Don’t know whether it’s connected, but several episodes of fainting since. Also recently investigated for Brugada pattern. Well in between, but mighty curious! This article makes it all seem more connected. Thank you
Tell him to begin day with diaphragm belly breathing . do 3-4x day. Also start day with cold cloth at back of neck puts body in rest digest. Also do eye exercises like salamander look clear to right center left. Kept repeat when you start to yawn or swallow getting better. Sing loud Gargle Lower stress in life. Seek happy.
My husband has had several vasovagal syncope episodes,over the last five years. 4 of them seem to have been caused by eating a plate of food. He begins to feel full and unwell - then passes out,with eyes staring and face shaking(he is not aware of anything). When he comes round he is then sick! The first time this happened he ended up in A and E. How dangerous is this?
I cannot get the timer to come on. I get pictures of the ear and the clip. The clip is secure to the targus but repetitive trys to push the button do not turn it on
You can change the session duration by pressing the blue joystick up or down when you see this screen
How do you adjust the duration on the tVNS unit? Thanks
I asked about AB62. It's the same as 862? When you mention "using the same electrode clip" do you mean one side of the two sided clip? I haven't paid much attention to which side I'd been using. I'd probably need to put a mark on it to know which side I've been using.
It sounds like you have a build up of electrolysis on your electrodes that is impeding the flow of stimulation. This will naturally occur during usage and is easy to fix.The electrode surfaces are made of sterling silver so can be cleaned with silver cleaning or most mild detergents. Once you return the electrodes to like-new condition and the impedance is cleaned off, the device will be able to reach maximum intensity again.
Hi, My VNsS, purchased here, has malfunctioned after approximately 486 sessions. The timer/graph page comes up, but will not start when I click the button. Trying to change parameters doesn’t work either. This is a very expensive machine. Is it possible I could send this vm one back and you could discount the price of a new one? I am leaving town soon so would like to have a new one before I go, so your prompt reply is requested. Thank you,
My son diagnosed with visual snow, POTS, EDS, depression, anxiety and other autoimmune diseases. We are excited to try this as alternative treatment as conventional doctors have nothing to offer other than prescribing meds with severe side effects.
Heart patients are at risk for vasovagal syncope. I know that the vagus nerve slows down the heart in such cases and that some heart patients faint or die while on the toilet. What is the specific trigger for such cases of vasovagal syncope. Is it constipation or just the act of straining?
Under what conditions are they dangerous? Used a TENS to stimulate my vagus nerve and am worried I could have damaged it. I used same settings (200Ms / 25hz / Normal mode / 13 minutes)
I've lived with a severed Vagus Nerve (right side) for twelve years. This article enabled me to better understand several of the symptoms. I was unaware of the cognitive, voice, mood, and cardiovascular effects. Knowing more is a mental boost. Thank you!
The electrode is clipped to the tragus
Electrode put under the left ear or on its tragus?