Acupuncture Treatment for High Blood Pressure

The latest researches in medical science have suggested a number of treatment options to lower high blood pressure. Today, high blood pressure or hypertension is a very commonly found health problem, which is mainly caused by a stressful lifestyle. This health condition is also associated with obesity, aging, alcoholism, smoking and certain diseases such as diabetes or kidney diseases. People with high blood pressure experience symptoms such as shortness of breath, headache, nausea, restlessness, fatigue and blurred vision. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can cause certain complications such as heart attack, stroke, renal failure, metabolic syndrome and vision loss.

High blood pressure can be treated with different treatment options. Hypertension medications used to treat high blood pressure can give rise to certain side effects in the long run. Therefore, one may opt for some alternative medicines for high blood pressure. There are some natural remedies and various therapies such as aromatherapy and relaxation techniques, which can help to lower blood pressure naturally. Acupuncture is also one of the effective alternative methods for treating high blood pressure. Read on to understand the details about acupuncture treatment for high blood pressure.

Acupuncture for High Blood Pressure

Before you go into details of acupuncture treatment for high blood pressure, you need to know more about acupuncture and its benefits. Originated from China thousands years back, acupuncture is one of the oldest treatment methods used worldwide. There are about 2,000 acupuncture points in the human body, which are associated with various healing attributes. In acupuncture technique, hair-thin needles are inserted through skin to various depths at certain strategic points. Acupuncture is an effective alternative treatment option in the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which can be used to treat a wide range of disorders such as insomnia, headaches, stress, joint pain, osteoarthritis, diabetes, migraine, asthma and hypertension.

Acupuncture is one of the most effective alternative treatments for lowering high blood pressure. According to the reports of latest studies, acupuncture lowers high blood pressure by blocking beta-acceptor of sympathetic nerve and by stimulating adrenaline-angiotensin system. Acupuncture, along with electric stimulation, can also be applied to treat high blood pressure. Acupuncture treatment combined with electric stimulation, known as electro-acupuncture, can effectively lower high blood pressure. During this treatment, sharp, fine needles are inserted into the trigger points or key points, including legs, forearms and wrists. In electro-acupuncture method, low-frequency currents are passed through normal acupuncture needles. The needles are connected to a device that continuously generates small electric pulses. The electrical impulses are maintained at low frequency levels. In electro-acupuncture, two needles are applied at once, so that the electric impulses are passed from one needle to another. Several pairs of needles are applied, which will cause stimulation of certain chemicals in the brain, which can help in reducing excitatory responses of the cardiovascular system. This helps in reducing the heart activity and requirement for oxygen, which can significantly lower high blood pressure. The acupuncture needles should be applied maximum up to 30 minutes at a time. Acupuncture should be done only by the experienced professional. Pressing the skin between index finger and thumb on the back of your hand is a natural acupuncture treatment for hypertension.

While treating high blood pressure, a combination of acupuncture and certain herbs is usually recommended. The use of herbs such as Shan Zha, Tian Ma (Gastrodia Rhizome) and Xia Ku Cao (Prunellla) along with acupuncture treatment are found to be effective in treating high blood pressure. Tian Ma is useful in relieving hypertension symptoms such as headaches, dizziness and numbness of extremities. Another herb Ye Ju Hua or chrysanthemum flower can help in reducing high blood pressure through peripheral vessel dilation. These herbs can be taken in the form of powders, herbal teas or supplements.

Acupuncture helps in regulating the overall functioning of the body, which results in lowering of blood pressure to a healthy level. Acupuncture is also helpful in reducing stress and offers a calming, relaxing effect that in turn is helpful for lowering high blood pressure. Thus, acupuncture treatment is a safe and effective method to reduce serious symptoms of hypertension and prevent its life-threatening complications.