As one of the most popular diseases all over the world, high blood pressure, or hypertension, can lead to a lot of complications and even death if left untreated. Lifestyle modification and medicines are common treatments for hypertension. Besides, osteopathic manipulation, the all-natural alternative, could also be a great choice.
Causes and symptoms
There are many causes of high blood pressure: high intake of sodium, obesity, smoking, diabetes, adrenal and thyroid gland problems, chronic kidney disease, age, stress, family history, etc. Hypertension is sometimes called “silent killer” because many patients may not have any symptoms. Some may experience symptoms such as changes in vision, severe headache, nausea or vomiting, etc.
Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) is a great approach to treating and preventing hypertension and maintaining long term health. This is a non-invasive and holistic method that effectively control and decrease high blood pressure by enhancing the self-healing power of the body, rather than exclusively acting on hypertension.
The vertebral column is the important nerve center of your body. When the middle part of the back or the lumbar area is out of alignment, this would have a direct effect on increasing the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, which activates the body’s “fight or flight response”. This is where OMT may be helpful.
In a clinical study, thirty-one patients who used osteopathic manipulation in addition to standard medical therapy showed an improved functioning of the vascular system and decreased systolic blood pressure compared to those subjects who did not. Osteopathic manipulation, by improving body mechanics of the lumbar spines, may normalize any stimulus that irritates the nerves and decreases sympathetic tone. Moreover, it may help treat chronic pain. Low back pain affects spinal mechanics and stimulates the sympathetic nervous system.
Osteopathic practitioners would focus on manual techniques, including rebalancing, relaxing cranial-sacral adjustments and visceral manipulation of the abnormal functioning body regions.
Rebalancing the diaphragm and supporting the liver are even important for the distribution of body fluids, thus avoiding excessive blood pressure to other important organs such as the heart, kidneys, brain.
The vertebrae of the neck and the upper often become stiff and painful, which may lead to functional causes of hypertension. OMT may improve the mobility of these parts. Furthermore, ‘softening’ the rib cage would make the contraction of the heart optimal; thus, it would meet no resistance when pumping. Osteopathic manipulation may also help reduce stress and tension, which leads to the reduction of high blood pressure.
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Review Date: July 4, 2017 | Last Modified: July 4, 2017
How Osteopathic Manipulation May Be Able to Lower Blood Pressure https://www.verywell.com/osteopath-lower-blood-pressure-1764176 Accessed March 26, 2017
Osteopathy and High Blood Pressure http://bellevuenaturalhealth.ca/osteopathy-and-high-blood-pressure Accessed March 26, 2017
High Blood Pressure http://www.osteopathichealinghands.com/high-blood-pressure/ Accessed March 26, 2017