Pacemaker Club: Phrenic nerve stimulation

Phrenic nerve stimulation

by Harrie
2017-06-24 20:34:26
Batteries & Leads
3142 views
3 comments

About a month ago my annual check showed the v lead was behaving erratically so they increased the voltage while investigating the cause and planning the replacement. Initially that resulted in the 2 am threshold checks waking me up with what felt like palpitations in the actual device as well as three or four smaller pulsations on the left side of the device whenever I yawn. They turned off the threshold checks but the tech said the pulsations were stimulation of the phrenic nerve caused by the higher voltage. I know that phrenic nerve stimulation can cause hiccups but according to the anatomy book I looked up the phrenic nerve runs down the centre of the chest and doesn't seem to go anywhere near the left side of the chest close to the armpit where I am feeling the sensation. Any thoughts?

3 Comments

Referred pain

by Selwyn - 2017-06-25 07:13:37

The phrenic nerve originates from the same neck nerve roots that supply the shoulder area. Stimulation of the nerve from the diaphragm area sends nerve signals to the spinal cord in the neck and that whizzes the impulses down the nerve roots to the shoulder area where they are felt as sensation/pain/ache etc.

Have you ever asked yourself how cardiac pain can be felt in the left arm? - same mechanism! Another examples are gall bladder pain being felt over the right shoulder blade. Hip pathology being felt in the knee. etc.

Selwyn

Thanks Selwyn.

by Harrie - 2017-06-25 19:22:48

I sort of understand referred pain but I guess if I thought about cardiac pain in the arm at all I assumed it was something to do with reduced blood flow. It is a little unnerving (no pun intended) because the pulsations are so close to the pm that it is impossible to tell if they are in the muscle or coming from the device itself. Thanks again.

Phrenetic Nerve

by Mmcomms - 2021-09-06 02:04:26

Where is the Phrenic Nerve?

The phrenic nerve begins in the brain and then continues down to the first few vertebrae of the spine, where it then splits. The two nerves then continue through each side of the body, with the right side coming in contact with the windpipe and heart, while passing the lungs. The left side also comes in close contact with the heart, with both sides eventually ending up in the diaphragm. Because of its location and proximity to both the lungs and the heart, the nerve can be impacted if there are specific conditions in either of these organs. If either of the nerves is damaged and signals between the brain and diaphragm are interrupted, normal breathing may be prevented.