The vagus nerve can be damaged by hormonal imbalances, physical injury or surgery, infections, cancer, and alcoholism. Diabetes is a common cause of nerve damage, leading to gastroparesis. Irreversible nerve damage can be medically controlled, but not cured.
The vagus nerve, which runs from the stomach to the brain, can become damaged in several ways. One of the most common forms of damage is caused by hormonal imbalances. Physical damage, whether caused by injury or surgery, can also cause harm. Some patients may also have damage from a viral or bacterial infection or a cancerous growth anywhere along the length of the nerve. The result of any of these types of vagus nerve damage is often reduced function of the digestive system.
Diabetes is one of the most common causes of vagus nerve damage. Patients who have had this disease for a long time can experience nerve damage throughout the body, often from improper blood flow. Without enough blood, the vagus nerve can become permanently compromised. Cancer can also cause nerve damage, and tumors in the brain or that interfere with blood flow to the nervous system can also damage it.
It is also possible that the vagus nerve sustains a traumatic injury to the patient’s body. The nerve is buried deep within the body and brain, so substantial damage must be inflicted on a patient for the nerve to become injured. More frequently, patients who undergo surgery on the brain or digestive system may have accidentally damaged it.
Alcoholism can lead to another type of damage to the vagus nerve. Patients with this disease can experience deterioration in nerve function throughout the body. In many cases, however, the damage is reversible if the patient stops drinking.
Some types of nerve damage are caused by an infection. Viruses are known to spread from the ears, nose and throat to the vagus nerve, which runs behind these organs. A viral infection can be difficult to treat and can lead to irreversible nerve damage. Bacterial infections can also spread to the vagus nerve, although these infections can often be treated through the use of antibiotics.
Any type of damage to the vagus nerve can lead to gastroparesis. Patients with this condition have impaired gastrointestinal mobility because the vagus nerve is responsible for shunting enough blood to the digestive system so it can process food quickly and efficiently. In patients with irreversible nerve damage, this condition can be medically controlled, although it cannot be cured.
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