Most people think of trauma as something that only affects their emotions or mental health.
But did you know that it can also disrupt your immune system and cause long-lasting inflammation in your body?
This is because trauma disrupts how your brain and body communicate. How?
When your body senses threat or danger, it switches into survival mode (fight or flight). In this state, your body releases adrenaline and cortisol so that you can take action to keep you alive.
These hormones are helpful in short bursts, like escaping danger, but when stress is ongoing, and you don’t get to take the action you would like to, adrenaline and cortisol levels stay too high.
This causes inflammation because your body stays in an “emergency” state instead of returning to a state of balance.
The vagus nerve and inflammation
Your moods, thoughts, immune response, digestion, heart rate, breathing rate and cardiovascular functioning are all tied to the vagus nerve – one of the most influential structures in your body.
The vagus nerve sends signals to the brain from the body, and it plays a key role in your emotional and physical health, because it helps you to recover and relax after stress.
This tenth cranial nerve extends from the brainstem all the way down into the abdomen, touching nearly every major organ along the way.
It plays a vital role in the parasympathetic nervous system, that’s the ‘rest and digest’ part of your nervous system.
It also helps to control inflammation, which is your body’s way of responding to injury, infection, or irritation.
But when the vagus nerve isn’t working well, inflammation gets out of control and can lead to chronic health problems.
Common signs of chronic inflammation include:
- Fatigue or low energy
- Brain fog or trouble focusing
- Joint or muscle pain
- Bloating, constipation, or diarrhoea
- Skin rashes or acne
- Frequent colds or feeling sick often
- Swollen glands or puffiness
- Depression or anxiety that doesn’t seem to go away
Over time, this on-going inflammation can lead to autoimmune diseases, where the immune system accidentally attacks healthy parts of your body.
Acetylcholine helps to regulate inflammation
The vagus nerve constantly sends and receives information about the state of internal organs, stress, and inflammation.
Not only is it involved in your digestion and heart rate regulation, it’s also a key regulator of your immune system.
This is because it plays a major role in producing acetylcholine – a neurotransmitter that helps to regulate inflammation.
When functioning optimally, the vagus nerve helps to suppress excessive inflammation, because the release of acetylcholine, acts like a “brake” on the immune system, and prevents it from going into overdrive.
But a dysregulated nervous system disrupts vagal tone (the health and activity of the vagus nerve), and the release of acetylcholine can be impaired.
This leads to greater levels of inflammation, potentially triggering or exacerbating autoimmune responses.
Trauma and autoimmune disease explained
Here’s how the connection unfolds:
Chronic Stress or Trauma → Dysregulation of the vagus nerve and autonomic nervous system.
Reduced Acetylcholine Signalling → Loss of anti-inflammatory control.
Increased Systemic Inflammation → Miscommunication within the immune system.
Autoimmunity → The immune system begins to attack the body’s own tissues.
This can cause ongoing inflammation and even trigger autoimmune illnesses like:
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Lupus
- Multiple sclerosis
- Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
- Psoriasis
The good news is that you can learn how to regulate your own nervous system and restore vagal tone via scientifically supported ways, to strengthen it and make it more functional.
Polyvagal practices that are specific to YOUR nervous system state and requirements, help to improve vagus nerve function, increase acetylcholine production, and reduce inflammation.
Research has shown a link between high vagal tone and improved health and improved emotional state and cognition.
This makes it possible for you to enjoy life in a more balanced and comfortable way.
If you would like help with healing trauma and improving the quality of your health please feel free to contact me: www.caroline-king.co.uk