can my ME be caused by infection of vagus nerve by herpes viruses

[lauluce]

my first symptoms where paresthesias starting at the tongue and then spreading to to back of the throat, face, scalp, etc. accompanying this where canker sores at the palate that lasted for many months, the only objectively measurably symptom. 2 years after first symptoms, I experience both genital and lip herpes, having not had any sexual relationship before. In the last month, ulcers appeared again alongside new herpes lesions, and and increase in pharesthesia. I suspect All of this might be caused by herpes simplex virus I (of which I have a very high igg antibody count) infecting my peripheral nervous system... looking at one of the pictures in the thread I'm quoting I noticed how close of the area where I have worse paresthesia (te highest parts of the back of my throat) the vagous nerve starts... what do you think? might I have an herpesvirus infection of the vagus nerve? note; I have also all the classic symptoms of ME: fatigue, postexcertional malaise, POTS, you name it

In terms of what pathogen might actually be infecting the vagus nerve, note that Dr John Chia has pointed out that if you have an enterovirus infection of the stomach (the stomach is a major viral reservoir for enterovirus infections), then this enterovirus infection can actually get into the vagus nerve, where this nerve links to the stomach, and then the virus can travel along the entire length of the vagus nerve until it reaches the point where this nerve enters the brain. (And presumably the enterovirus may then enter and infect the brain too, where it likely precipitates more ME/CFS symptoms).

So conceivably, as the virus travels along the vagus nerve, it may also remain within this nerve as a permanent, chronic nerve infection, thereby leading to the autonomic nervous system symptom of ME/CFS.

The mechanism by which viruses like enterovirus travel along the vagus nerve is known as retrograde axonal transport. Studies have shown that enterovirus 71 travels along nerves by this mechanism (ref: 1). Poliovirus also travels along nerves by retrograde axonal transport (ref: 1)

THE VAGUS NERVE (THE 10TH CRANIAL NERVE)
View attachment 5200​

 

[Hip]

might I have an herpesvirus infection of the vagus nerve?

The idea that ME/CFS might be caused by a chronic infection of the vagus nerve is only a hypothesis. There is no evidence that such vagus nerve infections exist, and even if these infections did exist, there is no known way to diagnose them in a living person — only through a post mortem examination might a vagus infection be detected.

 

[Pyr2]

Lauluce
You describe my symptoms. Mine started with burning mouth syndrome. Then my tongue felt odd, like prickly. Then a raw burning down the back of my throat, but not when I swallowed. This all happened over a course of a few weeks. I also have tongue spasms, feel like it pulling down my throat, teeth tighten together as if in a vice. Feel my tonsils twisting in pain, radiates to ear and then then I get heart palpitations with it. They are like ATTACKS. Occasionally, I also wake up out of sleep 20 minutes into it with sickening dying feeling as if Im gasping for air. I went to a neurosurgeon who told me I had atypical glossopharangeal neuralgia or some type of atypical facial pain. All of our throat apparatus are near the vagus nerve. Also, these viruses live in our oropharnyx so makes sense. At least it does when Im answering you! In the midst of it, NOTHING makes sense to me and I still get so scared, like "how can this possibly be a virus?"