High blood pressure: exploring the benefits of acupuncture for the treatment of high blood pressure

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a significant risk factor for both mortality and disability rates in India. If you are living with high blood pressure, your healthcare team may recommend lifestyle changes and, in some cases, medications, to manage your symptoms.

dr. Prakash, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Jindal Naturecure Institute, Bangalore explains more about how acupuncture works to help manage high blood pressure and its symptoms.

However, along with these traditional approaches, acupuncture, a therapeutic modality derived from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), may offer potential benefits as part of your treatment regimen.

For nearly 3,000 years, acupuncture has been used to address a variety of health problems. The practice involves the insertion of ultra-thin, flexible needles into specific acupuncture points on the body, which stimulate the body’s natural healing processes. Additionally, modern acupuncture techniques may include electroacupuncture, which involves the use of electric current through acupuncture needles.

blood pressure and hypertension

Blood pressure (BP) refers to the force that blood exerts on the walls of arteries during circulation.

It is determined by the contraction of the heart muscle and is measured in systolic (during heart contraction) and diastolic (during heart relaxation) pressures. Typically, BP is represented by the systolic pressure preceding the diastolic pressure, such as 120/80 which is considered normal.

Systolic blood pressure represents the maximum pressure exerted during a heartbeat when blood is pumped from the heart into the arteries of the body. On the other hand, diastolic blood pressure is the lowest pressure recorded between heartbeats when the heart is filling with blood.

Blood pressure may temporarily increase during exercise or stress but when it remains consistently high, even at rest, it can damage the arteries. Stage 1 hypertension is characterized by a systolic reading of 130–139 or a diastolic reading of 80–89. A reading of 140/90 or higher is classified as stage 2 hypertension. A hypertensive crisis is indicated by a systolic rate over 180 or a diastolic rate over 120.

High BP can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease, heart failure, stroke, kidney damage, vision loss, memory loss and cognitive decline.

How does acupuncture help control blood pressure?

While the exact mechanism of how acupuncture works is not yet fully understood from a scientific point of view, it is thought that stimulation of certain points in the body may have an effect on the central nervous system, increasing blood flow and key hormones. production may be affected.

With regard to high blood pressure, acupuncture may help control blood pressure by affecting hormones involved in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). This system is responsible for maintaining blood pressure levels and fluid-electrolyte balance. Specifically, acupuncture may affect the presence of RAAS-related hormones and enzymes in the bloodstream and stimulate receptors in the body that regulate blood pressure.

In addition, acupuncture may potentially act on the limbic system, leading to increased levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in the brain’s reward system. According to a recent study, dopamine has the ability to reduce oxidative stress, which is characterized by an excess of free radicals, thereby helping to maintain healthy blood pressure levels.

Acupuncture for high blood pressure: what do the studies suggest?

A recent study conducted at the University of California-Irvine (UCI) has provided the first scientific confirmation of the benefits of an ancient Chinese medical technique for patients suffering from mild to moderate hypertension.

Research published in the Journal of Medical Acupuncture showed that electroacupuncture, a type of acupuncture that uses low-intensity electrical pulses through needles inserted at specific points on the body, can lower blood pressure in patients with high blood pressure for up to six weeks. Can do. According to the researchers, these findings indicate that regular use of electroacupuncture may help individuals manage their blood pressure, potentially reducing their risk of heart disease and stroke in the long term.

In a 2007 clinical study published in Circulation, it was suggested that acupuncture, performed according to the precise specifications of the ancient Chinese tradition, may be an effective treatment for mild hypertension, providing some individuals with single-drug therapy. or aggressive lifestyle changes such as exercise and salt restriction.

Additionally, a 2019 review concluded that combining acupuncture with Western medicine approaches may be more effective in improving high blood pressure than Western medicine alone.

Research indicates that acupuncture may provide temporary relief for individuals with high blood pressure. Combining acupuncture with standard blood pressure medication may have a greater effect on lowering blood pressure than either medication alone.

It is generally safe to use acupuncture along with most blood pressure medications. However, it is important to seek treatment from a licensed and board-certified acupuncturist to ensure safe and effective therapy.