Every time your heart beats it pushes blood through your arteries to the rest of your body. Your heart beats approximately 70 beats per minute. The “pushing” of blood throughout the body is known as blood pressure. Blood pressure is necessary for us to live. Inside each of us is a master control system called your nervous system. Your nervous system is composed of your brain, spinal cord, and all the nerves that feed into every organ, cell, and tissue of your body. Your brain is constantly working sending signals down the spinal cord along a nerve pathway to your heart telling it to beat and pump blood throughout the body.
If there is stress or pressure to the nerves that control the heart, it may have an effect on blood pressure. The chiropractic approach has been proven in studies to be effective in removing stress that interferes with normal body function.
In a 2007 study in the Journal of Human Hypertension, 50 patients received chiropractic adjustments of the upper portion of the neck. The study concluded that the adjustments were able to significantly lower blood pressure without medications.
What does this have to do with high blood pressure ? "This procedure has the effect of not one, but two blood-pressure medications given in combination," study leader George Bakris, MD, tells WebMD. "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. Bakris notes that some researchers have suggested that injury to the top bone in the neck called the Atlas vertebra can affect blood flow in the arteries at the base of the skull. Dickholtz thinks the misaligned Atlas triggers release of signals that make the arteries contract. Whether the procedure actually fixes such injuries is unknown, Bakris says.
As a chiropractor, my job is to be able to locate and remove the pressure to help your body heal and function at its best. First step is to determine the cause of the problem. A series of tests are conducted, which may include postural examination, range of motion testing, orthopedic testing, and x-rays if necessary. Once we determine where the pressure is, safe and gentle chiropractic adjusting techniques are utilized to remove pressure and restore normal body function, thus helping to lower blood pressure. Along with a nutrient rich diet, proper exercise, hydration, and chiropractic care, a natural approach to health is within reach.
For more information or to find out if chiropractic is right for you please visit our office. We look forward to meeting you and helping you reach your health and wellness goals!
Dr. Kristin Gaines Porlier
SOURCES: Bakris, G. Journal of Human Hypertension, advance online publication, March 2, 2007. Grassi, G. Journal of Human Hypertension, advance online publication, January 25, 2007.George Bakris, MD, director, hypertension center, University of Chicago. Marshall Dickholtz Sr., DC, Chiropractic Health Center, Chicago.
WebMD: Chiropractic cuts blood pressure