Acupuncture May Reduce High Blood Pressure

Researchers and doctors find acupuncture to be equally effective in treating hypertension as the hypertension drug – nifedipine, which is a calcium channel blocker that works in relaxing heart muscles and blood vessels. Both nifedipine as well as acupuncture in Pleasant Hill, CA reduce blood pressure.

According to a report published by the CDC, about 29% of American adults suffer from high blood pressure, and only half of them have it under control. Thankfully, acupuncture is a natural treatment that helps reduce blood pressure levels without any side effects whatsoever. Listed below are a few facts about acupuncture.

• Acupuncture is an age-old form of treatment that finds its roots in traditional Chinese medicine and has been in use for over 3,000 years.
• Acupuncture uses thin needles that stimulate certain specific points on the body.
• US regulators approved the needles used by acupuncturists way back in 1996.

Acupuncture and Hypertension: A Positive Study – Its Results

Over the years, several studies have been conducted in order to measure the efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of hypertension. Today, we will discuss about one such study which was reported to being positive, and popularized the notion that acupuncture can indeed be used in treating high blood pressure.

In the year 2007, a clinical study was conducted which suggested that acupuncture, when precisely performed, could be a highly effective treatment for hypertension. This study was published in Circulation and suggested that acupuncture is as effective as single-drug therapies.

The study enrolled 160 people suffering from mild to moderate hypertension. They were randomized to either receive the traditional acupuncture performed by a Chinese physician or a sham procedure. The latter procedure wasn’t entirely sham as it comprised of identical acupuncture sessions wherein needles were inserted. However, the major difference was that the insertion points were not precise sites as prescribed by a traditional acupuncturist for treating hypertension. Each of the patients was made to undergo 22 sessions, each of which lasted for 30 minutes. These sessions spanned over a period of 6 weeks.

At the end of six weeks, it was observed that the systolic and diastolic blood pressure in those who received traditional acupuncture did significantly reduce by about 5 and 3 mm Hg respectively. This goes to show that acupuncture can in fact reduce high blood pressure when followed for an extended period of time.

Other Studies

There have been several studies that validate the efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of hypertension. Another noteworthy study that warrants a mention is the Cochran review conducted in 2018 that evaluated how acupuncture treated hypertension by scrutinizing 22 published clinical trials. A majority of these studies reported a reduction in blood pressure with continued acupuncture treatment.

If you or someone you love suffers from hypertension, you must consider opting for acupuncture in Pleasant Hill, CA. Contact Monarch Acupuncture & Wellness to schedule an appointment with our acupuncturists to discuss your options.