Is moaning when in pain a form of vagus nerve stimulation?

[ankhepiphan]

Dear Group

I've noticed that when I'm in pain especially within the stomach area, that the natural tendency to moan with a deep tone, alleviates the discomfort while I'm doing it. Could this be an unoticed body reflex to stimulate the vagus nerve? Thanks

 

[Muxel]

I've always thought so.

 

[aragorn]

Could very well be, since the vagal branches are connected to the glottal muscles. And it maybe one of the reasons - apart from letting others know we are in pain - we emit all kinds of sounds when we are in pain, upset or stressed (notice how when you're stressed, you often end up doing a lot of sighing). And, it's interesting how feelings in the throat (e.g. when you feel like crying) influence the solar plexus area, and vice versa. For instance, if you start breathing in a crying fashion (defragmented inhaling), even if you don't feel like crying, you will end up crying and feeling sad! The same with laughing (defragmented exhaling). This phenomena is used sometimes as a training method for actors (look up: alba emoting).

Maybe next time when you're in pain (have you found out what's causing your stomach pain?), you could try some Pipe Breathing? Pipe Breathing is one of the most effective ways (if not the best) to stimulate the vagus nerve, because it combines glottal stimulation with holding the breath and a long exhalation period.

 

[ankhepiphan]

Maybe next time when you're in pain (have you found out what's causing your stomach pain?), you could try some Pipe Breathing?

I had some coffee with some milk (yeah I know, It can be hard sometimes), and it put a tremendous hurting on me. I do the excercises but not in response to to feeling pain. My instinct was to moan and while aware, I decided to experiment with the pitch and noticed a dramatic reduction in pain. Thanks for the responses!

 

[seek10]

Maybe next time when you're in pain (have you found out what's causing your stomach pain?), you could try some Pipe Breathing?

I had some coffee with some milk (yeah I know, It can be hard sometimes), and it put a tremendous hurting on me. I do the excercises but not in response to to feeling pain. My instinct was to moan and while aware, I decided to experiment with the pitch and noticed a dramatic reduction in pain. Thanks for the responses!

Sorry to hear about your pain. Pipe breathing is good. Based on my expeirence Some times (depending on the situation), you may need to do more than 5 minutes. so don't get discouraged. Clearing of gluten and milk is very important.

 

[Carl]

Could very well be, since the vagal branches are connected to the glottal muscles. And it maybe one of the reasons - apart from letting others know we are in pain - we emit all kinds of sounds when we are in pain, upset or stressed (notice how when you're stressed, you often end up doing a lot of sighing). And, it's interesting how feelings in the throat (e.g. when you feel like crying) influence the solar plexus area, and vice versa. For instance, if you start breathing in a crying fashion (defragmented inhaling), even if you don't feel like crying, you will end up crying and feeling sad! The same with laughing (defragmented exhaling). This phenomena is used sometimes as a training method for actors (look up: alba emoting).

Maybe next time when you're in pain (have you found out what's causing your stomach pain?), you could try some Pipe Breathing? Pipe Breathing is one of the most effective ways (if not the best) to stimulate the vagus nerve, because it combines glottal stimulation with holding the breath and a long exhalation period.

Yeah, I've found pipe breathing is great for relieving nausea and pain in general. I notice when I do it for this purpose the breathing count is faster and more intense.


I also notice that it helps when I'm extremely cold, I've nicknamed it the fire breath. I use the same muscles, but it comes out more of a growl sound, and it seems to make me much warmer, or at least gives me more strength to deal with cold (which I hate!)

 

[Mountain Crown]

Maybe next time when you're in pain (have you found out what's causing your stomach pain?), you could try some Pipe Breathing?

I had some coffee with some milk (yeah I know, It can be hard sometimes), and it put a tremendous hurting on me. I do the excercises but not in response to to feeling pain. My instinct was to moan and while aware, I decided to experiment with the pitch and noticed a dramatic reduction in pain. Thanks for the responses!

Sorry to hear about your pain. Pipe breathing is good. Based on my expeirence Some times (depending on the situation), you may need to do more than 5 minutes. so don't get discouraged. Clearing of gluten and milk is very important.

After the pipe breathing you could take some activated charcoal which can work wonders for stomach distress.

 

[Seppo Ilmarinen]

And, it's interesting how feelings in the throat (e.g. when you feel like crying) influence the solar plexus area, and vice versa. For instance, if you start breathing in a crying fashion (defragmented inhaling), even if you don't feel like crying, you will end up crying and feeling sad! The same with laughing (defragmented exhaling). This phenomena is used sometimes as a training method for actors (look up: alba emoting).

Could it be useful to test to induce crying (maybe after EE) by imitating this breathing style you speak of, sort of "fake it till you make it" style? I'm asking because I don't find myself crying much (as opposed to when i was younger) and I started to think if it could be helpful in releasing suppressed emotions? Or does it go into area of cathartic approaches, that Peter Levine mentions in his book Unspoken Voice?

 

[Eongar]

Could it be useful to test to induce crying (maybe after EE) by imitating this breathing style you speak of, sort of "fake it till you make it" style? I'm asking because I don't find myself crying much (as opposed to when i was younger) and I started to think if it could be helpful in releasing suppressed emotions? Or does it go into area of cathartic approaches, that Peter Levine mentions in his book Unspoken Voice?

I would not force anything, things will naturally as you practice.

 

[aragorn]

And, it's interesting how feelings in the throat (e.g. when you feel like crying) influence the solar plexus area, and vice versa. For instance, if you start breathing in a crying fashion (fragmented inhaling), even if you don't feel like crying, you will end up crying and feeling sad! The same with laughing (fragmented exhaling). This phenomena is used sometimes as a training method for actors (look up: alba emoting).

Could it be useful to test to induce crying (maybe after EE) by imitating this breathing style you speak of, sort of "fake it till you make it" style? I'm asking because I don't find myself crying much (as opposed to when i was younger) and I started to think if it could be helpful in releasing suppressed emotions? Or does it go into area of cathartic approaches, that Peter Levine mentions in his book Unspoken Voice?

Note: I noticed that I mistakenly used the verb 'defragmented', I actually meant 'fragmented' as in a small part broken off something.

Well, I have to say that I really don't know for sure. In my EE classes I sometimes use this "trick" of inducing the sadness/laughing with the breathing, just to illustrate that there's a connection between breathing and emotions (many get very surprised when they notice that it actually works). Manipulating the solar plexus with breathing is used in various kinds of body work practices, and e.g. Alexander Lowen (a pioneer in body work) presents some exercises in his books where you breathe heavily with your belly in weird (uncomfortable) positions to release the suppressed emotions.

So, there's a proven connection and different practices do work. But I'm thinking that doing things too forcefully, fast or intensely may not produce the best and the most long lasting results. To sum it up, if you ask me, doing the crying/laughing breathing "trick" can get you in touch with your emotions, but for more lasting and deeper results you should do something more gentle like EE.

If you look up 'alba emoting' on YouTube, you can find some clips. There are a few creepy examples where the students play "schizophrenics": they switch seamlessly from laughing to crying, and then laughing again just using their breathing.