AN UNEXPECTED VISUAL-VAGUS CONNECTION
ABSTRACT
Panic attacks are a fact of life in today '.s culture. As much as I0% of the healthy population can suffer a panic attack within a given year. Various methods of treatment have been described in the literature to counteract these panic attacks. It has been noted that it is possible to alleviate panic disorder anxiety by performing convergence therapy. This somatic intervention functions as a vagal maneuver, activating the oculocardiac reflex (OCR) by medial recti traction. It results in bradycardia and other parasympathetic responses. I have found it possible to alleviate panic attack, non-cardiac chest pain and other vagally mediated symptoms by using convergence activity with patients who suffer from panic attacks. I have extended this technique to address non-cardiac chest pain and it may be further extended to patients with other anginal like pains. It may be possible to alleviate panic attacks, non-cardiac chest pains, and other vagally-mediated symptoms with this technique. The risk-to-benefit ratio is nil. Research is needed to further elaborate the full spectrum of benefits of this novel technique.