None of this should cause you pain so go gentle if it’s sore! Nerve massage should be soothing to the nervous system. Trigeminal Nerve Massage: - Place your thumbs at the inners eyebrows pressing up on the orbital bone gently (use whatever pressure feels good to you, this shouldn’t hurt.) - Hold that pressure for a few seconds then pull the thumbs along the orbital bone toward the outer corner of the eye. You can do this a few times. - Next place your fingers on your cheekbones next to your nose on either side. Give some gentle pressure here and then work across the cheekbone toward the ears. You can repeat this several times. - Next place your fingers (2 fingers on each hand) on the centre of your chin just below your bottom lip. Press and hold here and then work your way out along the jaw bone just above the lower edge of the jaw bone. Gently drag the fingers toward the earlobe. Vagus Nerve hot spots:
Spend a few minutes in the Vagal hot spots you like the most and then try the Basic Exercise of the Neuro-Fascial Stretch. There are many hot spots but my favourites are: - The abdomen (always go in the direction of your large intestine…start at the lower right quadrant, move up to the rib cage, across the belly just below the rib cage and then down to the lower left quadrant. - Above the collarbone and to the outside of SCM (Sternocleidomastoid muscle). SCM is the muscle that you can see stretching from the back of your skull to your sternum when you rotate your head. - The skin behind the ear and the ear. Vagus Nerve Basic exercise. - Interlace your fingers and place them at the base of the skull so you are cradling your head. You can do this seated or lying down. - Hold your head still and look to the right with a soft gaze. Pick something to focus on that is as far to the right as you can comfortably gaze at. Keep your gaze here and focus on your breathing, nice slow steady breath with attention on your exhale. Wait for the urge to swallow, yawn or sigh. - Once this occurs, bring the gaze back to centre and then repeat to the left. If you don’t get a swallow, yawn or sigh, don’t be discouraged. Try holding the gaze for a minute or so each side and keep trying. Do this as often as you like but at least twice a day. Vagus Nerve NeuroFascial stretch: - Place your fingers (right hand for the right side of the skull) at the base of the skull just to the right of where the spine meets the skull. Pull the skin gently outward toward the ear. - Place the fingers of the left hand just below the right hand and pull the skin of the neck toward the spine. - Hold this gentle stretch until the yawn/swallow/sigh is felt or hold it for about a minute. - Do each side. - If you don’t get a swallow, yawn or sigh response, don’t be discouraged. Try holding the gaze for a minute or so each side and keep trying.
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