How Whiplash can Cause SIBO

First off lets talk about what SIBO is.... This is a condition I have suffered with most of my life so I am well versed on its's symptoms and how drastically it can affect your quality of life.

SIBO means small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Put simply it is when bacteria that should not be in the small intestine (could also be parasites or both) enters this area of your intestines and multiply. There are different types of SIBO and they can cause a variety of symptoms from; egg smelling gas, abdominal distention, pain, constipation, gastroparesis and internal gas that can't exit the body.

But how on earth could the physiological injury of whiplash cause bacteria to overgrow in your small intestine??? Well it all comes down to your VAGUS NERVE!

Whiplash is defined as a neck injury caused by a forceful and quick back-and-forth movement of the neck, often resulting from a sudden impact like a car accident. Whiplash can stretch or tear the muscles, ligaments, and tendons of the neck. It may also damage nerves or, in rare cases, cause bone fractures. While whiplash is commonly associated with car accidents, it can also occur from other injuries like falls or sports accidents.

Back to the vagus nerve.... This highly specialized nerve is known as Cranial Nerve X. It exits the brainstem and travels down both the left and right sides of the neck. When there is a breakdown in the curve of the neck for any reason or changes in muscle tonicity and or stability of the neck as often seen with whiplash, the ability of the vagus nerve to work properly becomes impaired.

This impairment can be mild to severe, but the take away here is that this particular nerve is responsible for priming the digestive system so you are able to eat and absorb your food.

Now here is the interesting piece.... if the vagus nerve can't properly communicate with the stomach then there is often a decrease production of HCL (hydrochloric acid) of which is needed to kill any bacteria or parasites that have come into the system with the food you have just eaten.

If these bacteria and parasites make it through the stomach then the next step in the digestive journey is the small intestine and this is where you can have the condition of SIBO occur. The other way SIBO can occur due to improper function of the vagus nerve is because of it's communication with the valves of your digestive tube or "long tube". If the vagus nerve is not working properly then the valves don't receive the necessary information/signals needed for functioning (opening and closing) and this can allow the bacteria and or parasites from the large intestine (where poop is made) to seep up and backflow into the small intestine.

The take away here is that the health of your neck is one of fundamental importance to the functioning and health of your digestive system. If your digestive system can't work properly then you cannot absorb and eliminate nutrients as efficiently. The health of your being is dependent on your digestive system working as it should so....... even if you do not have whiplash but so have postural dysfunction (head forward posture with rounded shoulders) your vagus nerve may not be working at its best.

Check out the 6 things you can do to optimize your vagal nerve health (vagal tone) in my blog post here.

Until next time, Jenn