Two questions

[Cococj]

A very quick and simple two questions.

Do you ever find that your stomach triggers panic attacks? Is this related to the position of the vagus nerve?

[Kate408]

Yes

and

I have no idea. What's the vagus nerve?

[lou lou]

Yes i think i know what you mean, before i get an attack i sometimes get stomach pains!

[Cathy V]

Yes to both. The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in your body, and its name comes from the latin meaning 'wandering' which is exactly what it does.

It runs from the brain stem through the neck, thoray and abdomen. It also helps to control the heart-rate (hence why a full stomach will aggravate the nerve and in turn affect the heartbeat) When it enters the stomach it branches into both small and large intestines, pancreas and colon.

Hope this helps
Cathy xxxx

[Cathy V]

....and that should have said Thorax, not thoray!