Could Vagus Nerve Stimulation Cure RA?
A new drug-free treatment holds promise for RA. I investigate in my new artcile for HealthCentral:
““Vagus nerve stimulation cures rheumatoid arthritis!”
You may have seen this statement in multiple places over the past few years, but is it true? Can rheumatoid arthritis (RA) really be cured by stimulating a nerve in your neck? To find out, I took a look at the literature and conducted an email interview with Robert G. Hylland, M.D., a fellow of the American College of Rheumatology, and assistant clinical professor at the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine.
What is the vagus nerve?
“The vagus nerve is one of 12 pairs of nerves coming directly out of the brain,” explained Dr. Hylland.
It has two functions related to the immune system. First, “notifying the brain of an attack upon our body (by viruses, bacteria, and other noxious agents). The second function related to the immune system is “moderating that attack by quieting the immune response in order to prevent an over-reaction and unnecessary damage to our tissues and organs.” One of the ways the vagus nerve does this is by controlling the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), one of the molecules responsible for inflammation.”
Read more about RA and vagus nerve stimulation on HealthCentral.
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The paper I read was the product of 17 people for 24 months. It looks like nine of the 17 went back to biologic medications and only five had stable improvements. I think this sounds like it is a long shot at present.