Fatigue and Vagus Nerve Pathogenesis
The vagus nerve serves as a crucial network link between the brain and major bodily organs, playing a key role in energy management. It triggers the "rest and digest" response via the parasympathetic nervous system, efficiently conserving energy. However, this balance can be disrupted by exaggerated stress and inflammatory responses, leading to impairment of the vagus nerve. Such dysregulation can result in chronic fatigue and other chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) symptoms, which may arise from a variety of other factor¹:
Stress Response
Chronic stress or other repeated internal or external shocks to the nervous and immune system can result in vagus nerve function impairment and exhaust the body's adrenal system, causing weakness, inability to rest effectively, pain and immune dysregulation in the long term².
Sleep Disturbances
The vagus nerve also affects sleep patterns; dysfunctions in vagus nerve signalling can disrupt the sleep cycle. Poor sleep quality due to lack of deep sleep directly impacts energy levels and memory consolidation³.
Inflammaging
As individuals age they tend to spend more time in a sympathetic state and less in a parasympathetic state. These autonomic imbalances can have effects on mood and on various organs such as the cardiovascular system accelerating certain age-related diseases (e.g. atrial fibrillation or heart failure). Similarly ageing individuals experience increased baselines of inflammatory biomarkers, a process defined as “inflammaging”. Age- and infection-related increases in sympathetic preponderance and glial inflammation can lead to exaggerated fatigue and systemic inflammation⁴. Vagus nerve stimulation can be used to suppress sympathetic overdrive, increase parasympathetic activity and stimulate the cholinergic anti-inflammatory reflex thus contrasting the effect of ageing on the autonomic nervous system. Chronic brain signalling, driven by an overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines and neuroexcitatory substances can intensify fatigue and other prolonged sickness symptoms associated with CFS⁵.
Altered Metabolism
The vagus nerve significantly influences gastrointestinal functions, including the release of digestive enzymes to ensure effective nutrient absorption. With ageing or due to certain conditions, as a result of a tendency towards spending more time in sympathetic mode as well as physiological changes in the nervous system structure, vagus nerve signalling can decline, leading to decreased metabolic efficiency and reduced energy availability in the body⁶.
- Papadopoulou M., Bakola E., et al. (2022). Autonomic dysfunction in long-COVID syndrome: a neurophysiological and neurosonology study. J Neurol 269, 4611–4612.
- Smeets T. (2010). Autonomic and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal stress resilience: Impact of cardiac vagal tone. Biological Psychology, 84(2), 290–295.
- Bretherton B, Atkinson L, et al. (2019). Effects of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation in individuals aged 55 years or above: potential benefits of daily stimulation. Albany NY 11, 4836-4857.
- Jiang Y., Yabluchanskiy A., et al. (2022). The role of age-associated autonomic dysfunction in inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. GeroScience 44, 2655–2670.
- Karshikoff B., Sundelin T., & Lasselin J. (2017). Role of Inflammation in Human Fatigue: Relevance of Multidimensional Assessments and Potential Neuronal Mechanisms. Frontiers in Immunology, 8.
- de Lartigue G. (2016) Role of the vagus nerve in the development and treatment of diet-induced obesity. J Physiol. 15, 594(20), 5791-5815.
Nurosym’s Effects in Combating Fatigue
Nurosym is a medical device designed for targeted stimulation of the vagus nerve. Its activation shifts the body into a 'rest and digest' state, crucial for optimal energy regulation. Regular use of the device allows the body to regain capacity to manage its regular function, such as energy production, restore effective sleep, support digestion, thus leading to enhanced vitality. Nurosym can help reduce systemic inflammation, including chronic brain inflammation due post-viral syndrome. Additionally, Nurosym's role in normalising stress responses may help in preserving energy and mitigating symptoms commonly associated with "adrenal fatigue".
Nurosym has been found to relieve the body from a constant state of “fight or flight” or stress responses by activating the parasympathetic nervous system (the "rest and digest" system). By doing so, it can help in regulating the body's reaction to stress and prevent the exhaustion of the adrenal system, to be able to provide energy when needed.
Sleep Regulation
By modulating the activity of the vagus nerve, Nurosym can contribute to the normalisation of sleep patterns. Its autonomic improvement effect on the nervous system has been shown to enhance sleep quality, thereby enhancing overall health and energy levels.
Inflammatory regulation
Nurosym can help reduce age-related and infection-related cell inflammation by modulating inflammatory responses. The device's action on the vagus nerve may decrease the production of proinflammatory cytokines and neuroexcitatory substances, thereby mitigating fatigue and reducing the symptoms associated with CFS such as pain, problem with concentration and muscular achiness.
Nurosym device stimulates the vagus nerve, which is a major highway of the brain-gut axis influencing gastrointestinal functions such as the release of digestive enzymes and nutrient absorption. Healthy vagus nerve activity has been correlated to diverse and healthy gut microbiome, which is implicated in energy release and mood.
Research-Based evidence on Nurosym’s
Nurosym patients report higher energy in as little as 5 days.
In clinical trials Nurosym patients experienced on average 57% ME/CFS symptoms relief.
48% fatigue improvement was evident in the research findings, reflecting positive energy outcomes on patients.
Fig. The Pichot fatigue scale scores during Nurosym therapy (D0: day 0, D5: day 5 and D10: day 10). Significant improvement in fatigue scores after Nurosym treatment was observed (D0 vs. D10, p<0.0001). (Parasym clinical trial, 2021)
Another Nurosym finding highlights significant remission of post-viral symptoms, particularly the alleviation of chronic fatigue, brain fog, pain, depression score in all long-COVID patients enrolled in the investigation by 40%.
Fig. Evolution of the severity of the syndrome, during treatment (day 0, day 5, day 10), and 1 week after ending Nurosym neuromodulation (follow-up). The individual values and the median are shown. Non parametric Friedman statistics for paired comparisons were used and followed by post-hoc Dunn’s multiple comparisons test (Parasym Clinical Trials, 2021)
When stress levels increase, heart rate variability (HRV) tends to decrease, indicating the autonomic nervous system's response to stress. Research has demonstrated that Nurosym’s auricular vagal neuromodulation therapy (AVNT) significantly enhances HRV by up to 18% (RMSSD), reflecting an increase in parasympathetic activity and a reduction in sympathetic activity. These changes are associated with reduced stress levels and improved energy management.
(Fig) Key HRV components:: high-frequency (HF) power, root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) - were significantly higher during active neuromodulation compared to placebo, indicating better autonomic balance. Standard deviation of R-R intervals (SDRR), which reflects overall HRV, also improved, showing stronger memory effect. Participants were randomly assigned to either active neuromodulation or placebo stimulation (Parasym Clinical Trial, 2022).
Fig (A, B, C). The figures illustrate changes in heart rate variability (HRV) during Nurosym neuromodulation. In Figure (A), High Frequency HRV significantly increases (*p=0.001). In Figure (B), Low Frequency HRV significantly decreases (*P=0.001). Figure (C) demonstrates that the ratio of LF to HF is significantly decreased (*p=0.002) (Parasym Clinical Trials, 2018).
Auricular Vagal Neuromodulation Therapy (AVNT) has been shown to reduce PROMIS sleep disturbance scores by 19%. Studies have correlated improvements in sleep phases and slow-wave sleep with a reduction in fatigue symptoms.
(Fig). Changes in sleep (PROMIS Sleep Disturbance) across three timepoints: pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up. Boxplots are used for nonparametric data, whereas column graphs depict parametric data. Error bars reflect standard error. *p < 0.05 (Parasym Clinical Trial, 2024).
Initially, 10 from 20 patients reported experiencing gastrointestinal problems. However, after 10 days of treatment, none of the patients found these issues to significantly impact their daily lives.
(Fig) a significant reduction in the frequency of gastrointestinal (GI) issues over a 10-day treatment period. Before the treatment, the frequency of GI issues, with an average 10. After 10 days of treatment, there was a substantial decrease in GI issues, dropping to an average below 2 (Parasym Clinical Trial, 2021).
Reducing dysautonomia can improve energy levels by restoring autonomic balance. In the study on the Nurosym device, after two months of therapy, a 40% reduction in postural tachycardia (ΔHR parameter) was observed in the active group compared to the placebo group.
(Fig). In the study on the Nurosym device, after two months of therapy, a noticeable reduction in postural tachycardia (ΔHR) was observed, with approximately a 40% decrease in the active group compared to the placebo group (Parasym Clinical Trial, 2023).
Additionally, the level of anti autonomous autoantibodies, especially α1-adrenergic receptor (α1-AR) and β1-adrenergic receptor (β1-AR), was significantly lower (p<0.05) in the active group. Autoantibodies can trigger inflammatory responses that exacerbate fatigue. Lower levels of these autoantibodies might reduce chronic inflammation, leading to an overall decrease in fatigue symptoms.
(Fig). The levels of anti-autonomic autoantibodies, particularly α1-adrenergic receptor (α1-AR) and β1-adrenergic receptor (β1-AR), were significantly reduced (p<0.05) in the active group (Parasym Clinical Trial, 2023).
Doctors about Nurosym
Patients about Nurosym
Kate
"I definitely noticed when I haven't used it, I don't sleep as well. And I have noticed that overall I feel like it lowers the inflammation in my body because when I don't use it, I feel a lot more inflamed and achy and just not well."
Lisa N.
“I’ve been living with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis for over 20 years…I tried other mind body techniques, EFT, and different methods to stimulate the vagus nerve, but none were helpful. I heard about Parasym and in desperation decided to try it, and within weeks felt a huge difference.”
Who is for it?
Nurosym provides significant benefits to those seeking effective treatment for fatigue, especially since traditional therapies are often indirect, insufficient or inadequate in treating fatigue.
Given the limited number of effective targeted therapies, neuromodulation therapy is an important alternative. It is increasingly recognized in research and clinical practice for people experiencing chronic fatigue, including those with myalgic encephalitis and myalgia/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and post-viral fatigue, offering the chance to increase energy levels where other treatments may fall short or prove unsuitable.
Protocol - How to Use
Based on clinical research and patient feedback, it is advisable to use Nurosym twice daily when possible: once for 30 minutes in the morning to balance energy, and once for 60 minutes before sleep to calm the nervous system and improve rest quality, specifically targeting fatigue reduction.
For individuals coping with cancer-related or autoimmune disease fatigue, it is suggested to try undergoing therapy for even up to 4 hours daily to achieve the anti-inflammatory effect.
Many patients have reported noticeable improvements within a short period, with some experiencing benefits as early as 5 days after starting treatment.
How often
Nurosym is recommended for use twice daily based on clinical research and patient feedback. This regimen ensures optimal energy balancing and nervous system calming.
How long
Users should allocate 30 minutes in the morning and 60 minutes before sleep for Nurosym therapy sessions. Consistency in application is key to achieving desired results.
Results
Positive outcomes from Nurosym therapy may become noticeable within a relatively short timeframe. Many individuals report improvements within days of starting treatment.
