Dr. Pierre Brunschwig MD
How can we convince our brain stems we are safe?
In our March newsletter we explored the topic of helping our brain stems to shift from survival mode to safe and healing mode. We’re back with another treatment option for you: Oxytocin.
As a quick refresher, your brain stem is the low, stem-like part of the brain that connects your cerebrum and cerebellum to the spinal cord. Our brain stems are designed to keep us alive. They do all the usual maintenance of body temperature, heart rate, blood flow, digestive activity, etc. but they also stay vigilant to respond to danger when necessary. An overstimulated brain stem won’t allow your body to properly rest and heal.
We discussed at-home ways to soothe the brain stem before sleep, namely with sounds and smells that it would interpret as a safe. For those who found this helpful, there is another potent way to reassure your brain stem: oxytocin.
At Helios, we do offer prescriptions for oxytocin for those who are struggling with sleep, stress, trauma and the signs of a nervous system overrun with adrenaline. Oxytocin is quite literally the opposite of adrenaline and a prescription of oxytocin can serve as a bridge to move your nervous system into calm and connecting.
Oxytocin can be safely taken as an orally dissolvable tablet (sublingual) 1-2x/day. If this is something that you think would be helpful, call to schedule an appointment with one of the practitioners to have your questions answered and have the prescription sent to a compounding pharmacy.
Dr. Pierre Brunschwig is the medical director at Helios Integrated Medicine. He has been boarded in holistic medicine and family practice, and is trained in homeopathy, functional medicine, and acupuncture. He tirelessly studies inside and outside the medical box to deliver the most effective care for his patients.
