How does Chiropractic care help with my high blood pressure?
Did you know that high blood pressure is very large problem here in the United States? High blood pressure also known as hypertension affects 1 in 3 adults, about 75 million people. When high blood pressure is not controls, that can lead to serious health conditions, such as heart attacks or strokes which can lead to death. Did you know that heart disease is one of the leading causes of death here in the United States.
Where does high blood pressure and heart disease come from? There are several things that can contribute such as poor diet and lack of exercise. Currently, most people treat their high blood pressure with medications. With any medications, they can be very expensive and come along with several other side effects.
Alternative ways for helping lower blood pressure, include removing misalignments from the spine. Several research studies show the correlation between lower blood pressure and the first bone in the neck, the atlas. The brain stem and the top of our spinal cords are located here. This area of our spine is responsible for communicating and controlling the cardiovascular system.
When the atlas is misaligned that can put pressure on the brain stem, causing the arteries to contract, which leads to high blood pressure.
Wait so how do chiropractors removes these misalignments?
By locating these misalignments, Dr. Erika can realign the spine with a very gentle and specific adjustment taking the pressure off the brain stem. Removing the pressure allows the cardiovascular system to not have to work so hard, lowering blood pressure.
What are the Clinical Studies saying?
One study that was done in 2007 at the University of Chicago followed fifty people who had high blood pressure. The study was done for an eight-week period, where some individuals received real chiropractic adjustment while another group received fake adjustments. The study results showed that those who received real spinal adjustments were able to lower their blood pressure by an average of seventeen points. The reduction in the blood pressure readings were so dramatic that the doctors stated that it would have required taking two blood pressure medications to have that kind of result without chiropractic care.
Bakris, G.L., Dickholtz, M., Meyer, P., Kravitz, G., Avery, E., Miller, M. Brown, J. Woodfield, C., Bell, B.M. “Atlas Vertebra Realignment and Achievement of Arterial Pressure Goal in Hypertensive Patients: A Pilot Study.” Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research, 2007 Oct: 1-9.
Kessinger, R.C., Mow, C. “Improvement in Chronic Hypertension Following a Single Upper Cervical Adjustment: A Case Report.” Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research, 2015 Jan: 1-5.
