"Adjust" Your Blood Pressure
We had a patient tell us today that he was able to go off his high blood pressure medication, because of the chiropractic care he receives at our clinic. Fantastic news! High blood pressure, or hypertension, is the most commonly diagnosed disease in the United States. It is estimated that the annual costs of high blood pressure and its complications to the U.S. economy are more than $64 billion. There are many medical treatments available for those diagnosed with hypertension, however only about 30% of patients are able to attain their blood pressure goals and many find the side effects of blood pressure drugs unbearable. For most, high blood pressure is a disease of lifestyle, meaning lack of proper nutrition and exercise which result in cardiovascular disease. However, for some there are other factors. Genetics may play a very small role. Many people like to blame health challenges on genetics when it is more likely that families tend to lead similar lifestyles. People who lead unhealthy lifestyles are more likely to develop the same lifestyle diseases. Other factors become apparent when someone's high blood pressure responds favorably to alternative non-pharmacological approaches, such as chiropractic care.
Chiropractic care focuses on "adjusting" or correcting spinal distortions or misalignments, called vertebral subluxations, which interfere with the normal functioning of your nervous system. Subluxations are often painless, so most people don't know they have them. Though often painless, subluxations alter the communication between your brain and body and create dis-ease in the body resulting in a decreased ability to cope with stress. They alter the function of your internal organs, glands, muscles, joints, and discs. They accelerate joint aging, cause osteoarthritis, decrease your energy, and resistance to disease. Because subluxations interfere with your body's ability to regulate itself, it's not too hard to understand how blood pressure might be affected by vertebral subluxations.
For over a hundred years chiropractors and their patients have known that chiropractic care benefits more than just an achy back or neck. Many patients see increased energy, better digestion, are sick less often and have an overall better sense of well-being. Some even report positive changes in their blood pressure. A 2007 landmark pilot study conducted at the University of Chicago, in which a specific chiropractic adjustment was delivered to patients with high blood pressure and misaligned C1 vertebrae, resulted in significant reductions in diastolic and systolic blood pressure compared to control groups. The reductions in blood pressure were equivalent to those seen in patients taking two blood pressure drugs. This study was conducted on only a small group; however it has grabbed the attention of many in the medical community and has sparked bigger studies, which are currently underway.
It is apparent that people today are interested in learning how to achieve health naturally with as little use of drugs and surgery as possible, and one thing we know with certainty is that high blood pressure is not caused by a drug deficiency. Chiropractic care helps support your innate ability to heal and regulate. If you or someone you know would like to find out if chiropractic adjustments are right for them, have them schedule an appointment at Back To Health Family Chiropractic today!