r/VagusNerve

So I was watching one of her videos and she talks about vagus nerve reset to heal trauma.. but I don’t understand… so I do the exercises and I feel some sighs and yawns..
When does the healing trauma part happen exactly?

34M, moderate smoker.

Since Nov 2025, after taking metoclopramide + fluoxetine, I had what felt like a panic-like episode. Not long after that, I started developing symptoms that haven’t fully gone away.

Main symptoms:

Ongoing squeezing/pressure in the middle of the chest

Sometimes an electric shock-like feeling on the left side of the chest

Dull discomfort in the jaw/teeth area (no dental cause found)

Jaw can feel slightly sore when pressed

Symptoms happen both at rest and during activity

This has been going on long-term without fully resolving

No shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, or sweating

The chest symptoms feel more like angina than a panic attack.

Mental health / medication background:

After the first episode in November 2025, I switched from fluoxetine to escitalopram, and also took a short course of benzodiazepines. Fluoxetine was thought to possibly be too activating for me.

After this change, I actually felt a bit better for 1–2 weeks.

But in December 2025, I suddenly had a strong episode of tight squeezing chest pain, which scared me a lot. Since then, the chest pressure has continued in the background.

I’m also being treated for an anxiety (panic) disorder with escitalopram.

Even with my anxiety history, I’ve never experienced physical symptoms like this before, which is why I’m confused.

Heart tests done:

ECG: normal

Heart ultrasound (echo): normal

Stress test: very good performance (12.4 METs), completely normal with no heart issues and no symptoms during the test

Blood tests including troponin: normal

➡️ Doctors said heart problems are very unlikely.

Stomach / digestion tests:

Small hiatal hernia (grade 1)

Inflammation in the lower esophagus (reflux)

Mild gastritis

H. pylori infection (currently being treated)

Current issue:

Even with treatment, I still have chest pressure and dull jaw discomfort, and I can’t figure out what’s causing it.

What I’m trying to understand:

Based on what’s been checked, possible explanations I’ve read about include:

Acid reflux / GERD-related chest pain

Hiatal hernia discomfort

Esophagus sensitivity or spasms

Muscle or chest wall pain

Nerve-related referred pain (possibly explaining jaw discomfort)

Anxiety making physical symptoms feel stronger or more intense

Main question:

What could explain this combination of:

chest pressure that feels like squeezing

dull jaw discomfort

normal heart tests (including stress test and troponin)

mild stomach/esophagus findings

no other typical heart-related symptoms like sweating, dizziness, or nausea

and the fact this feels different from my usual anxiety symptoms

Has anyone experienced something similar or have any idea what direction I should look into next?

22m, I’ve gotten 12 EKGs,8chest X-rays, a ton of blood work,an echocardiogram, and a 1 week heart monitor, but everything came back normal.

I’ve been dealing with this since January, although It first started with what seemed like a panic attack in November of last year. I was drinking on thanksgiving, woke up feeling fine, I ate then that’s where it started. My heart started to pound so I went outside to relax, after a few minutes I came back inside and started to feel dizzy, shortness of breath, and felt like i was gonna die. I grab my bp monitor and bp was at 170/100 with a heart rate of 150, I started to panic and called an ambulance. Got to the hospital and they did all the tests but said it I was having alcohol withdrawals, I explained to them that I wasn’t an everyday drinker and just started drinking a year ago. After that I stopped drinking but didn’t feel much different other than the anxiety not being bad, then came Christmas and new years. I had drank but after new years I ended up at the hospital for the same thing, they told me the same thing and let me go home. At this time I was starting to get a lot of anxiety and panic attacks, so I quit alcohol again for about 3 weeks, then came this party and I decided to drink. Next thing you know I wake up with the same symptoms, terrible anxiety, heart rate pounding, shortness of breath, impending doom, and all the panic attack symptoms. I decided to quit alcohol for good in February, but I was still dealing with this, and these are my symptoms now:

\- Fast heart rate upon standing 30+ but comes back down after 45 seconds except on a bad day where it’ll be up till I sit
\-Lightheaded upon standing
\-Feeling of blood rushing up through my chest into my head upon standing or sometimes walking
\-Hard slow beats that hurt my chest when startled, jump scared, or after waking up because of a nightmare
\-Exercise intolerance
\-Shortness of breath(worsens when doing something physical)
\-Tingling/hot feet and hands when I’m up
\-Fatigue
\-Chest and back pains that come nd go
\-High heart rate when doing something simple as cleaning, showering, washing car etc… Worse on some days
\-Heart rate while washing car 120-186, heart rate while doing an oil change 115-150, heart rate while cleaning 100-140
\-Heart rate ranges from 55-80 resting and 80-105 when getting up, on a bad day it’ll be between 90-105 resting and 120-150 when getting up.
\-Heart rate jumps easily like turning in bed or by just sitting up after lying down, but ends up coming back down

I’m currently looking into orthostatic HYPERtenstion and I’m doing the tests at home with my BP monitor, I’m also seeing a therapist because my doctor and cardiologist say it’s due to high stress and anxiety. I’m just trying to get better and get the help I need, I lost my job in July of last year due to some stomach problems, doctor says it can be a hernia so I’m being referred to a GI. I’m trying to get back out there but this is holding me back, if anyone with orthostatic hypertension has some tips or advice, I’ll really appreciate it. I’ve looked into dysautonomia, POTS, and other illnesses that fall under dysautonomia but cardiologist says that my BP never drops so it can’t be pots. I’m at lost, if you read this far, thank you❤️.

I’m 20F and for about 3 months now i’ve been dealing with the typical symptoms—dizziness, fatigue, vision changes, digestion problems, pain in my upper back/neck, chest pain, anxiety, etc.

I feel like it’s taken a toll on my daily life. The dizziness used to be pretty much every day for logouts on end, but now I just get it maybe 4 times out of the week and i’ll lie down until it goes away. Same with the fatigue and chest pain.

I had a colonoscopy done a couple of days ago and they found a 4 mm polyp which they removed as well as small hemorrhoids. I am still awaiting the rest of my results as IBS is suspected. Blood results come back normal, EKG comes back normal, I have been referred to a neurologist which I I am unable to see until literally next year (I live in the US).

My PCP thinks it is my vagus nerve being affected by my GI issues (constant constipation) which i’ve had for as long as I can remember.

Daily life had just been so hard, sometimes I can’t work out, or be in public for too long without getting dizzy and i’m over it. So for those of you who have dealt with this, did you ever get better? And how? At this point i’m desperate for solutions and need positive answers.

Sudden onset of illness in December. Heart palpitations and dizziness/blackouts, progressed to chest pain and fatigue. Standard heart checks have come up clear and I've tried going down the digestive route but gerd medicine has made me worse. Vagus nerve dysfunction popped up in my new research, could it be related?

How would I test this and what can I do to fix it?

In the last 2 months, I have been attempting to stimulate my vagus nerve using various techniques to reduce my chronic stress. However, I feel sick more often than having stress. Is this a paradoxical reaction from vagus nerve stimulation?

This all started 4 years ago after a chiropractor appointment. The disorientation, anxiety, face pressured, woozy/dizziness, nausea, and panic attacks are crippling.
I was playing professional hockey in Europe and now I can’t go to the gym or have a work out at home without feeling woozy, anxiety, and completely disoriented.

I have tried anxiety medications, don’t help. Was told I have ADHD and tried that. Doesn’t really help me either. I have never had any issues concentrating so I don’t know where that came from.

Do I have a Vagus Nerve issue? The doctors only did an MRI on my brain since they thought maybe it was a brain issue. Nothing on the nerve. My ENT told me that everything looks good. I was thinking it was an ear issue. My cardiologist did a holter monitor for 72 hours and zero issues at all.

I’m at a loss here. I’m just miserable. Alcohol helps, but I do not want to be an alcoholic so I’m definitely watching that. I just want to be myself again.

Anyone been in my spot or have any suggestions? Anything would help. Thanks in advanced.

Hi everyone, I’m 22 and I have been feeling "weird" and sick every single day for months. I feel so incredibly alone and desperate to find anyone who understands what I am going through.
My daily baseline is a constant feeling of dizziness, "slow" or tired eyes, neck pain, and severe acid reflux/stomach burning. But every so often, I get these sudden, terrifying waves that hit me out of nowhere (especially in public places like Walmart or when I’m driving).
During these episodes, it feels like:
A heavy, full feeling in my throat and chest (almost like someone is pulling on my heart).
A wave of intense nausea that stays in my upper body/chest.
A sudden drop/rush of adrenaline that makes me feel like I’m going to pass out or die.
A weird, disconnected feeling in my head.
I went to the ER and had a 14-day cardiac event monitor. My heart structure is completely healthy, and they told me it's just "sinus tachycardia" (fast heart rate) and anxiety. I was prescribed Zoloft, but it hasn't stopped these physical waves at all. I've noticed my symptoms get significantly worse right around my period, and my heart rate jumps way up (sometimes to 150+) just from walking up stairs or standing. On my bad days, I even get tingling/burning sensations in my arms and fingers.
Has anyone else experienced this exact combination of throat heaviness, upper body nausea, and daily dizziness? Did it turn out to be dysautonomia, POTS, vagus nerve irritation from GI issues, or something else? I don't know what to do next or how to get my doctors to take this daily "weirdness" seriously. Any advice or shared experiences would mean the world to me. Thank you.

To start this off, I’m a 33M and a few years ago I thought I was having a heart attack on my way to work. Hard to breathe, sweaty, dizzy and felt like I was going to lose consciousness. Got checked out by an ambulance and they did an ekg and said all was normal and it must’ve been a fluke or something. Then it happened again. Then again. Then again. Every time I ended up in the emergency room thinking this was it. Every time they did an EKG and bloodwork along with several other tests. They say all is normal. Follow up with my pcp and he ran a myriad of tests. Everything came back normal. Also, all of this started the day I lifted something very heavy and awkward. I felt a little weird after doing it but I did have a few drinks the day before and assumed I was just a little hung over. I went home and ate lunch and on my way to work I started feeling like I was having a heart attack.

Back to the doctors. After all of these tests I was really confused. I felt awful, especially after I did any type of lifting. Fast forward a few weeks and I stumble upon something about a hiatal hernia and learned a little about the vagus nerve. My girlfriend suggested I go see her chiropractor. I scheduled the appointment and I felt amazing after. She put her fingers on my stomach and pinpointed the hiatal hernia and manipulated it back into place. I go back to my regular doctor and he scheduled me for an endoscopy and they didn’t find anything. Maybe because it was pushed back into place. Or maybe they just missed it. I felt much better but I still was not 100%. My doctor told me it’s all in my head or it’s irritable bowel syndrome and he wanted to prescribe me antidepressants. I refused and haven’t been back to see him in over a year and a half. Mind you prior to this I have never felt any type of depression nor anxiety in my life.

The issue now is I do have anxiety. I believe it’s health anxiety. Every time I feel a little off or a little dizzy or anything out of the norm i believe I’m on my way to a heart attack. But I also believe it’s my vagus nerve causing these issues. Surely I would have had a heart attack in the past two years if that was really the issue here. It drives me nuts that I’m living in fear everyday about this. Part of me knows that it’s not a heart attack but there’s always that other part that makes me think it really is going to happen again. I also have this weird buzzing/vibrating feeling in my chest and core sometimes, usually after strenuous activity, which I’ve read is from the vagus nerve.

My question here is has anyone been through anything like this before and has anyone used a vagus nerve stimulator to help them with it?

TL/DR
Has anyone with a hiatal hernia used a vagus nerve stimulator to help with anxiety and vagus nerve issues.

I'm scared. These panic attacks keep coming. I just had one this morning just sitting on my couch. Continuous panic attacks ever since I used a portable vagus nerve stimulator(for a month now! I stopped the portable vagus nerve stimulator when I had my first initial panic attack that sent me to the hospital). During my panic attacks, first my brain feels weird, like out of body, then my lips start twitching, my face starts tingling, my chest gets tight and all that. Going outside helps calm everything down, but having a panic attack in my safe place (my home) is scaring me. My husband called me and it calmed it down further. My chest is still tight. I was able to go to my hematology appointment yesterday morning, and have lunch with my husband without a panic attack. But I ended up having one going to my daughter's chorus concert. I had to get out of my seat and go outside, my husband went with me and that calmed me down. This morning, it just happened out of nowhere. Went outside and it calmed down a bit, and then my husband called me and finally my lip unlocked and face stopped tingling. I can't keep doing this. I am exhausted from all these panic attacks every week for a month or so now. My psychiatrist prescribed guanfacine, but it's not working. I'm lost. Will I ever be able to function normally again ? I hate that I'm doing this to my husband and daughter. I'm on short term disability at the moment because I can't drive or work like this 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 I wish I would've never used that stupid device.... Waiting on an appointment with a neurologist to make sure it didn't damage anything. I'm trying everything. EMDR therapy, breath work, tapping, hypnosis videos, humming, telling myself I'll be okay... I'm scared I'll never be normal again.

P.S.

I have MCAS and chronic Lyme disease.

hi there, brand new to this sub and this vagus nerve thing as a whole and wanted to ask about device recommendations. i understand everyone is different, but i thought i would see if anyone on here is having similar issues to me & has found a device that has helped them at all.
i also had a look at the vagus nerve facebook group but it’s currently paused & i couldn’t find anyone with a similar experience to me.
long story short, i’ve experienced anxiety/panic since i was 12 (i’m 25 now), and also nausea every time i eat, feel anxious or more recently, after having bowel movements (sorry for tmi). i’ve had several tests/been on several medications & been down just about every road possible with no answers.
the vagus nerve thing is sorta a last ditch attempt at improvement (until i find something else to try lol) but something i’m very interested in as it’s been recommended to me by multiple people.
i should mention i’ve tried nurosym already, because it seemed to be highly rated but i don’t really think it’s helped me yet, and i probably should’ve consulted reddit (the experts lol) first but i’m doing so now.
any advice/suggestions are greatly appreciated, thank you in advance.

For years I've been having issues with discomfort around my bowels/lower stomach when sitting. If I sit even just straight up for an hour+, it can cause light-headedness, yawning, or even just a sudden, strong desire to lay down and rest.

I've been doing everything in my power to help with potential IBS. Exercise, lots of fibre, avoiding trigger foods, sleeping properly, having plenty of water during the day. And while these have helped a bit, I still get that familiar discomfort.

So I've been wondering if this might also be related to my vagus nerve? Maybe leaning upright to type is putting too much pressure on it? When I lay down for an hour, the feeling eventually passes. And in general I feel more comfortable when laying back in a chair versus sitting upright. Does anyone have an opinion on this, and potential solutions?

Get ready for this because it’s a long one😆:

I am 20F and lately for about 2 months I have been feeling constipated + bloated, dizzy, light headed, fatigue that is sometimes accompanied by shakiness, occasional chest pain, headaches, and blurry vision😩. I’m over it.

This next part is a little TMI— about 2 months ago on Feb 28 I woke up in the middle of the night after having sex with my partner because I had severe lower right quadrant pain, and when I went to the restroom to urinate it hurt even more that I had to stop as I went, it felt almost like someone’s was squeezing my insides really hard and more so when I peed. I didn’t immediately go to the er as I thought it would go away by the morning because I had work (super stupid and I ended up calling off anyways lol😅) which it did for the most part, and I would only feel pain when I put pressure on it.

I went to my pcp at my school campus that following Monday and she thought it could be kidney stones but I was worried it was my appendix (like duh) because my mom had appendicitis, so she ordered an ultrasound for both a couple days later (march 10th) at this ultrasound they checked for kidney stones and found nothing, but they didn’t check for appendix, which I didn’t know until I got these results back and read by my pcp on march 20th when she told me they only checked for kidney stones and nothing else because she “forgot” to mention my appendix (safe to say she’s not my pcp anymore). By this point the dizziness feeling and on and off chest pain had begun maybe a few days ago but it was very mild. So I went to urgent care that same day to ask about that, and they drew blood and said everything was normal, they also did an ekg because my chest had been hurting and said my heart rate had slight bradycardia but nothing of concern, however when I told the PA about my side pain that I had (but had for the most part subsided) she urged me to go to the er to check my appendix, so I did.

At the er they took my vitals once again and everything was normal and they did a CT scan to check all my lower organs and everything was normal as well except for my iud positioning which noted: “The uterus is retroflexed. There is an IUD in place. It is malpositioned. The IUD terminates at the level of the uterine body instead of the uterine fundus. Furthermore, it is tilted such that one of the arms extends into the anterior myometrium on image 84 of series 4 2 to or almost to the level of the serosa”. 😬Because besides that they didn’t find anything out of the ordinary they referred me to a GI doctor because I have been having tummy problems for about 3 years now where i’m constipated and bloated (not all the time but it has become more consistent).

Since then I have still been feeling dizzy, fatigued, and slightly shaky, along with the occasional chest pain, and when I went home for spring break my parents had me do a throurough physical to check for annemia, thyroid problems, etc but the results came back all normal except for slight but not concerning higher levels of bad cholesterol (my dad had cholesterol) they also prescribed me meclazine which somewhat helped with the dizziness but not really.

Because the doctor said the iud was malpositioned i decided to do research and found that some other reddit users were experiencing some of the same symptoms and got it taken out on March 30th but no difference.

I went to the er again on April 15th when I was feeling pretty bad dizziness and chest pain. They did an ekg again and everything was normal and they also did a pots test which was negative. They referred me to an ENT and prescribed me vistaril to help with the dizziness and chest pain and I took it for a couple of weeks but honestly it just made me really tired.

As of today I’ve already met with my ENT and had an ear exam where they checked my hearing and inner ear via some device that vibrated? They found nothing out of the ordinary and has now referred me to see a neurologist which I can’t see until january of NEXT YEAR🙄. I visited the GI where he gave me linzess to try and regulate my bowels which somewhat worked but I think the dose of 75 mg is too small, and I have a colonoscopy scheduled this Thursday and I’m scared for the worst after seeing some tiktoks which I probably shouldn’t have haha (note: my dad had diverticulitis some years back). I also followed up with my new pcp about 2 weeks ago and told him everything i’ve written here and he actually suggested the vagus nerve before I did and thinks that it could all be due to the inflammation of my stomach from not using the bathroom, and that night of really bad pain essentially “triggering” it and offsetting everything else.

Idk guys i’m just really tired of dealing with this. I feel exhausted all the time, my body feels heavy, especially my right arm and both legs, i’m always constipated, I get dizzy when I work out, my vision feels weird?? like a camera that randomly goes slightly out of focus, I feel brain fog, and get headaches and no one seems to be able to give me answers.😕

Oh another thing to note— this actually happened to me when I was like 13?? Where I felt dizzy and had stomach problems where an ultrasound revealed trapped gas. I also got diagnosed with vertigo via a standing test with my eyes closed. And around the same time I couldn’t keep food down after I ate but it eventually went away with some natural herbal supplement pills that my dad got from a Mexican holistic healer.

Also if you read this far thank you!! 😊

Hi there, I am new to this and based in the UK. I am after an affordable tens machine with ear clips for vagus nerve stimulation. Does anyone have any recommendations? Thanks