Another nerve

Before reading this post, I recommend that you read the page "Introduction and Exercises".

I have been interested for some time on how much concentrating on the body parts innervated by the ilio-inguinal nerve has a positive effect on singing.

First, some details about this nerve:

- It belongs to a web of nerves arising from the spinal cord in the lumbar region of the body.

- It is a mixed nerve, which means that it works both ways: from the brain to parts of the body for muscle function, and from body parts to the brain for sensory information. To put it differently: "Mixed nerves function to transmit both sensory and motor information. Sensory information includes the sensations of heat, cold, and pain. Motor information causes the muscles of the body to contract and move". (from the site study.com)

- "The ilioinguinal nerve provides cutaneous innervation to the superior medial thigh. In men it also supplies the skin over the anterior one-third of the scrotum and the root of the penis. In women it also supplies the skin over the anterior one-third of the labium majus and the root of the clitoris. The ilioinguinal nerve also gives off motor branches to muscle fibers in the internal oblique and transversus abdominis muscles". (from the site radiopaedia.org)

In clearer language, it means that this nerve helps you feel the skin of your upper thighs and part of your sexual organs. It also takes part in muscle function in the muscles of the lower abdomen.

Now back to the exercise I and my pupils practice, with enormous benefits for voice production:

- Sitting or lying down, we simply concentrate for a while on sensations in the lower abdomen, the upper and inner part of the thighs, the groin, the labia for women and the scrotum for men (I know this sounds very sexual, but it is actually very simple to concentrate on these body parts without getting aroused).

- Before we go back to singing, we can usually observe some interesting effects: mainly, a production of fluid saliva and a sense of space at the back of the tongue and nose.

- When we start singing, breathing has become wonderfully supple and easy, there is a feeling of an extra resonance space in the region of the soft palate, the sound of the voice has become warmer and high notes are easier to produce.

- And it is possible to go on feeling these lower body parts while singing, with more added benefits.

Why is that?

Well, I can only emit a theory, in relation with the parasympathetic nerves of the lower body: the concentration on these body parts permits a state of relaxation of the muscles of the lower abdomen and the pelvis, which in turn allows the pelvic splanchnic nerve, the cavernous nerve, and the lower part of the vagus nerve (see my other articles for more information) to function at their best.