Chiropractic and Hypertension

Did You Know Chiropractic has been shown to lower blood pressure?  Raise your hand if you know someone taking drugs to lower their blood pressure.  We ALL know someone doing that.  And, I guess we all know why.  “Unresolved” chronic high blood pressure can supposedly cause stroke, congestive heart failure and kidney failure.  Unfortunately, those prescribing drugs for high blood pressure rarely know what is causing a patient’s problem.  In fact, they may not even stop to think that there may be a GOOD reason for a person’s elevated blood pressure.  It just might be that there is some condition causing their body to NEED more blood.  Most prescriptions for blood pressure medications rarely consider the CAUSE of the problem.

Virtually all prescriptions for blood pressure drugs come in one of four categories: diuretics, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blockers.  And remember, these drugs only mask the symptom of some unknown condition while having NO healing properties AND even the least toxic ones can have deadly side effects.

You might be asking, “What the heck does chiropractic have to do with high blood pressure?”  I’m glad you asked.  While some folks think chiropractic may be great for back pain, they rarely consider that what chiropractic adjustments really do is take pressure off either specific nerve roots or off the entire nerve system altogether, or both.

A March 2007 study, published in the Journal of Human Hypertension, detailed how patients who received a chiropractic adjustment saw an average 14 mm Hg greater drop in systolic blood pressure, and an average 8 mm Hg greater drop in diastolic blood pressure than those who received a placebo adjustment.  According to George Bakris, MD, the study leader, “this procedure has the effect of not one, but two blood pressure medications given in combination.  And it seems to be adverse-event free. We saw no side effects and no problems,” adds Bakris, director of the University of Chicago hypertension center.[1]

The Chiropractic Adjustment

So, how can chiropractic adjustments significantly lower high blood pressure?  At the base of the brain are two centers that control all the muscles of the body.  If you pinch the base of the brain, it doesn’t cause any pain but it upsets these centers.  Specific adjustments of the bone at the top of the neck, called the C-1 vertebrae, can help reduce stress on the brain stem.  Bakris notes that some researchers have suggested that injury to the Atlas vertebra can affect blood flow in the arteries at the base of the skull.  Others think the misaligned Atlas triggers release of signals that make the arteries contract.[2]

Located in the brain stem is the Vagus Nerve.  One of its jobs is to regulate your heart rate, blood pressure, digestion and many other functions.  In fact, the Vagus Nerve is kind of like the reset switch on your computer.  When things lock up, one of the first things you try is the reset button.  Most times, that resolves the problem.

Everyone’s heard of the body’s “fight or flight” mechanism where you gear up for a fight or to escape a life-threatening situation.  In our rushed and harried world, many of us stay in this “fight or flight” mode due to chronic stress.  Over time, this causes chronic high blood pressure.  Our diet and lack of exercise also contribute to the problem.  Yet, few doctors recommend stress reduction, diet, and exercise as a means of dealing with high blood pressure.[3]

Reducing stress on the brain stem can stimulate the Vagus Nerve, helping to slow down your heart rate and lower the blood pressure. In short, chiropractic adjustments of the upper cervical spine stimulate what’s called the parasympathetic nervous system, or the reset button for the “fight or flight” mechanism.”

And you just might realize other benefits from chiropractic adjustments, like better sleep, digestion and elimination.  Chiropractors have been claiming these kinds of results anecdotally for a hundred years, with none of the risks or dangers of drugs and other medical procedures.  It is refreshing to see that scientists, who are willing to look at the real feedback and data, are beginning to realize the power of the adjustment, and the possibilities that come along with chiropractic care.  While they may still interpret this discovery as a novel treatment for high blood pressure, it’s another step closer to having chiropractic embraced in the mainstream of health and wellness, because of all the good it can do.[4]

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[1] http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/news/20070316/chiropractic-cuts-blood-pressure

[2] http://www.webmd.com

[3] http://drtim.wordpress.com/2008/03/05/high-blood-pressure-and-chiropractic/

[4] http://drtim.wordpress.com

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~ by Elevate Family Chiropractic on 13/11/2009.