Can a pinched vagus nerve cause vasovagal syncope?
A pinched nerve typically happens as the nerve exits the spinal column and is pinched either by an intervertebral disc that has herniated or by a boney obstruction caused by degeneration of the spine. The vagus nerve, however, is a cranial nerve and does not eminate from the spinal cord (it eminates off the brainstem), therefore, there is no reason for it to be pinched by the spine. Furthermore, the neck is supposed to curve inward…typically when people loose the curve is when they have problems with a pinched nerve. Certainly, if there was something else compressing the vagus nerve (some type of growth or obstruction in the jugglar foramen this could happen)…but in all likelihood he’d be having other serious medical issues. I had cardiodepressive syncope myself…and gradually just “grew” out of it by 26. It was a nussiance more than anything else.
