US Medical Term · anatomy
Vagus Nerve
Nervio vago
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Vagus Nerve |
| Spanish (Español) | Nervio vago |
| Chinese (中文) | 迷走神經 |
| Korean (한국어) | 미주신경 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Dây thần kinh phế vị |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Vagus nerve |
| Portuguese (Português) | Nervo vago |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | เส้นประสาทเวกัส |
| Japanese (日本語) | 迷走神経 |
What it means
The vagus nerve is the tenth cranial nerve and the longest nerve in the body — it travels from the brainstem all the way down to organs in the chest and abdomen, including the heart, lungs, and digestive tract. Its name means wandering in Latin, reflecting how far it travels. The vagus nerve is a key part of the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the body's rest and digest responses. It slows the heart rate, stimulates digestion, and helps regulate inflammation. In the head and neck, it helps control swallowing, speech, and gag reflex. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a medical therapy using small electrical pulses to treat epilepsy and depression. Vasovagal syncope (fainting from sudden stimulation of the nerve) is also a well-known condition.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
My doctor said my fainting episodes might be vasovagal, meaning my vagus nerve is overreacting.
Mi doctor dijo que mis episodios de desmayo podrían ser vasovagales, lo que significa que mi nervio vago está reaccionando en exceso.
I am getting a vagus nerve stimulator implanted to help control my seizures.
Me van a implantar un estimulador del nervio vago para ayudar a controlar mis convulsiones.
How does the vagus nerve connect my brain to my stomach and heart?
¿Cómo conecta el nervio vago mi cerebro con mi estómago y mi corazón?
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026