Can specific, scientific chiropractic help with blood pressure?
Study #1:
More than 3.6 million Australians over the age of 25 have high blood pressure or are on medication for the condition, but findings recently released by the Chiropractors’ Association of Australia indicate there is a non-drug alternative that can lower abnormal blood pressure in healthy bodies by 7.8% – 13%. “The benefit of chiropractic care is that it is a drugless, painless, and surgically free approach to good health, with the goal of helping allow the body to function and repair itself.”
Chiropractors’ Association of Australia
Study #2:
A case study of a 38 year old male presented with a complaint of hypertension of 14 years duration and side effects of medication (minipress and Corgard) which included bloating sensations, depression ,fatigue and impotency. Chiropractic analysis revealed vertebral subluxation complex at levels Cervical 6-7,Thoracic 3-4,and 7-8 motion units (vertabrae).
After three visits the patient’s M.D. stopped the Minipress and reduced the Corgard. After six adjustments Corgard was reduced again. All medications were stopped after seven adjustments. Medication side effects had abated as well.
After 18 months patients blood pressure remained at normal levels.
Chiropractic management of a hypertensive patient: a case study. Plaugher G. Bachman TR.
Study #3:
Twenty patients from 87 Swedish chiropractors consecutively answered questionnaires on return visits. A total of 1,504 questionnaires were completed and returned. 23% of patients reported improvement in non-musculoskeletal symptoms, including:
Easier to breathe (98 patients)
Improved digestive function (92)
Clearer/better/sharper vision (49)
Improved circulation (34)
Less ringing in the ears (10)
Acne/eczema better (8)
Dysmenorrhoea better (7)
Asthma/allergies better (6)
Sense of smell heightened (3)
Reduced blood pressure (2)
Numbness in tongue gone (1)
Hiccups gone (1)
Menses function returned (1)
Cough disappeared (1)
Double vision disappeared (1)
Tunnel vision disappeared (1)
Less nausea (1)
The types and frequencies of nonmusculoskeletal symptoms reported after chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy. Leboeuf-Yde C, Axen I, Ahlefeldt G, et al. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1999:22(9):559-564.
Study #4:
Six of eight patients under chiropractic experienced relief of symptoms and lowered blood pressure after chiropractic care. The blood pressures of two subjects remained unchanged or increased sometime during the test period.
“Systolic pressure was lowered by an average of 27mm Hg and the diastolic pressure by an average of 13mm Hg. In several subjects, other symptoms such as low back pain, thoracic tightness, headaches, and general malaise, diminished following the adjustments. Those subjects who were not on medication showed the greatest change.”
Hypertension and the atlas subluxation complex. Goodman R. Chiropractic: J of Chiropractic Research and Clinical Investigation. Vol 8 No. 2, July 1992. Pp. 30-32.
Study #5:
The authors list “organic disorders reported to be related to spinal lesions or affected by chiropractic manipulation.”
These include: abdominal discomfort, asthma, Barre-Lieou syndrome, cardiac arrhythmia, colic, constipation, dysmenorrhea, high blood pressure, low-blood sugar and hyperinsulinism, migraine, pulmonary diseases, ulcers and vertebral autonomic dysfunction.
Systemic effects of spinal lesions. Dhami MSI, DeBoer KF In Principles and Practice of Chiropractic, 2nd edition, Appleton and Lange, East Norwalk, CT 1992
Study #6:
Seventy-five people were tested after specific chiropractic cervical adjustments. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly in the adjusted group. No significant changes occurred in the control group. In those with the highest pre-treatment blood pressures, the treatment effect was greatest, indicating that the effectiveness in hypertensives may be even more significant.
Preliminary study of blood pressure changes in normotensive subjects undergoing chiropractic care. McKnight ME, DeBoer KF, Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics,1988.