Hypertension Facts and Statistics
Hypertension is one of the most common cardiovascular diseases, affecting approximately 1 billion individuals worldwide. Furthermore, it is estimated that 62% of strokes and 49% of heart attacks are caused by high blood pressure. The most commonly used treatment options for hypertension include pharmaceuticals and lifestyle modifications. Although many patients are able to achieve ideal blood pressure levels, it often involves a combination of multiple drugs with various side effects. This has led some patients to seek other forms of treatment, including acupuncture. Studies on the subject of acupuncture for hypertension are increasing and showing positive results with fewer side effects. [1]
How Acupuncture Works
So, how does acupuncture work for lowering blood pressure? It’s important to mention that acupuncture points are always located in areas that contain densely distributed nerve endings and receptors. This means that it works closely with the nervous system, including the sympathetic and the parasympathetic systems that regulate cardiovascular function.
Efferent neural pathways are of specific interest because they mainly depend on the sympathetic (Fight or Flight) and vagus nerves (Cranial Nerve 10). Using acupuncture points on the pericardium channel, specifically, inhibits sympathetic neuronal discharge and therefore helps in offsetting any increases in blood pressure. Ear acupuncture increases vagal activity (Cranial Nerve 10) which can decrease heart rate and arterial pressure. In short, acupuncture increases activity linked to rest and digest functions of Cranial Nerve 10 (read more about the functions of the vagus nerve here and decreases sympathetic activity, resulting in a reduction of hypertension. [2]
What is your next step?
So, what action should you take if you are suffering from hypertension? An integrative approach between Western medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine has shown greater reduction in symptoms than taking pharmaceuticals alone. Various studies demonstrate that acupuncture used together with antihypertensive drugs achieve better results in reducing both systolic and diastolic blood pressure than drug therapy alone. Furthermore, acupuncture’s positive cardiovascular effects don’t stop there. Acupuncture has also been shown to help reduce symptoms such as arrythmia, angina pain, and congestive heart failure. The brief article listed here is written by a cardiologist that now uses acupuncture in his treatment protocol for hypertension.
Call to Action
If you are currently taking medication for hypertension or have untreated hypertension, I would love to assist you on your journey to better health. Book an appointment today by calling (208) 416-7405 or using our online booking tool here.
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References
1. Juan Li, Mingsheng Sun, Jing Ye, Yuxi Li, Rongjiang Jin, Hui Zheng, Fanrong Liang, “The Mechanism of Acupuncture in Treating Essential Hypertension: A Narrative Review”, International Journal of Hypertension, vol. 2019, Article ID 8676490, 10 pages, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/8676490
2. Fan Hao, Yang Jing-Wen, Wang Li-Qiong, Huang Jin, Lin Lu-Lu, Wang Yu, Zhang Na, Liu Cun-Zhi. The Hypotensive Role of Acupuncture in Hypertension: Clinical Study and Mechanistic Study. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience VOLUME12 YEAR=2020PAGES=138 Available from: https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnagi.2020.00138
3 .Jie Wang, Xingjiang Xiong, Wei Liu. Acupuncture for essential hypertension. International Journal of Cardiology,Volume 169, Issue 5,2013,Pages 317-326,ISSN 0167-5273,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2013.09.001.
Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167527313017282