Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment of Hypertension

Hypertension is a series of clinical symptoms marked by increase of blood pressure in the arteries of blood circulation, according to the criteria suggested by the World Health Organization. Adults with systolic pressure greater than 140 mmHg and/or diastolic pressure greater than 90 mmHg can be diagnosed with hypertension (the result of three tests taken intermittently in one day).

Treating Hypertension with TCM

From a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) viewpoint, hypertension is an abnormal body sign, indicating an under-regulated state of the body due to multiple influences. TCM believes a sedentary lifestyle, persistent stress, unhealthy diet, organ damages, and constitutional defects are all contributed to the raised blood pressure. Inside the body, damages in heart, liver and kidney systems are often happened, there may also have dysfunctions of the Thoroughfare Vessel (chong mai) and Girdling Vessel (dai mai) among women. Clinically, individuals can appear a variety of disharmony patterns, below are some commonly seen in different stages of hypertension:

• Early stage hypertension: the body tends to be hyper-functioning (excess syndromes), and may present with patterns such as liver yang hyperactive, qi stagnation and blood stasis, or phlegm and dampness accumulation;
• Middle stage hypertension: the body begins to weaken, and may present with patterns such as qi deficiency with blood stasis, yin deficiency and yang hyperactive, or qi deficiency and phlegm obstruction;
• Late stage hypertension: the body is weakened (deficient syndromes) and stagnations often develop, that may present with patterns such as yin deficiencies of liver and kidney, qi deficiency and fire depletion of vital gate.

TCM management for hypertension focuses on integrated regulating the body, physicians not only aim to lower blood pressure, but also relieve unpleasant symptoms, improve body functioning, and protect target organs like the heart, brain and kidneys. This can resume the body’s self-regulation and ensure a better life quality of individuals.

How does Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) diagnose hypertension?

Hypertension is similar to dizziness and vertigo in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It is usually thought to be caused by emotional factors, constitutional deficiencies, diet and stress that lead to an imbalance of yin and yang in the liver, spleen and kidney*. Eventually this can result in hyperactivity of liver fire, or phlegm disturbing the upper, or frequent weakness of kidney yin and the failure of yin to control yang.

How does TCM usually treat hypertension?

It is essential to differentiate hypertension which is caused by excess from that which is caused by deficiency. TCM usually treats hypertension with body acupuncture, ear acupuncture, and herbs, but depending on the cause, the acupuncture points selected, techniques, and herbs will be different. The treatment for the excess type is to calm the liver to stop wind, eliminate fire and resolve phlegm. For hypertension caused by deficiency the approach is to replenish qi and blood, while nourishing the liver and kidney.

Case Study – Mr. High

Mr. High, 65 years old, has been diagnosed with hypertension for 10 years. He told Dr. Tan that he was experiencing dizziness, headaches, red eyes, a bitter taste in his mouth, restlessness, irritability, and poor sleep. He came for acupuncture twice a week for a month and was prescribed Chinese herbs.

Dr. Tan used the following acupuncture points: GB 20, LI 11, LI 4, SP10, ST 40, LR 3, and HT7. His herbal prescription was a modified Longdan Xiegan Tang formula. One month after the treatment, all his symptoms were relieved and his blood pressure was stabilized.

Dr. Tan’s Tips

Dr. Tan also recommends qigong exercises to help his body to regain the balance of yin and yang, calm the liver, eliminate fire, and replenish qi and blood. From a TCM perspective, it would also be better for hypertensive patients to eat more fruits and vegetables and less greasy and spicy food. Also it is advisable to avoid seafood which from the TCM perspective is stimulating and cold in nature. Food that is cold in nature promotes dampness and phlegm, which can make dizziness and vertigo worse. Fish is relatively better than shrimp and crab.

Herbal Foot Soak

This herbal foot soak can help to relieve vertigo, tinnitus, headache, limb numbness, and insomnia. To prepare the foot soak, cut the herb Gouteng (Gambir vine stems) into small pieces and wrap in a cloth with a littleBingpian (Borneol) and steep them in warm water. Soak the feet twice a day after getting up and before going to bed, 30-45 minutes each time and 10 days as a treatment course. These herbs require an herbal prescription.

Unique Herbal Prescriptions

Patients who suffer from high blood pressure should make an appointment with a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist as every person is unique. The practitioner will take a full medical history and do pulse and tongue diagnosis to determine the best acupuncture plan and herbal prescription.

Hypertension : Diagnosis - Western Medicine and Chinese Medicine - how does chinese prescription treat hypertension 

Hypertension : Diagnosis - Western Medicine 

To limit the change of pulse caused by negative impacts, for example, stress and condition, the determination of hypertension for the most part requires no less than two estimations at two unique occasions after the primary introductory screening.

Prior to the screening, those being tried ought to unwind and ought not expend espresso or any beverage that contains caffeine before the estimation. Caffeine how does chinese medicine treat high blood pressure fleetingly hoist your circulatory strain, in spite of the fact that there is no proof that proposes caffeine adds to long haul hypertension. Smokers should avoid smoking before their circulatory strain is estimated.

Pulse is estimated with an instrument called a sphygmomanometer and is tallied in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). An elastic sleeve is folded over the upper arm and afterward expanded. How does chinese medicine treat high blood pressure ?This packs an extensive vein in the arm, immediately halting the blood stream. The air in the sleeve is then discharged and the human services supplier estimating the circulatory strain tunes in with a stethoscope. At the point when the circulatory strain begins to beat through the conduit, it makes a sound. While the doctor tunes in and watches the check, two estimations are recorded. The main number is the systolic weight, which is the measure of weight in your supply routes when your heart is siphoning or the weight when the primary sound is heard. The second number, known as diastolic weight, is the measure of weight when your heart is resting among thumps and the weight when the last stable is heard. As pursues with medicinal custom, the systolic weight is constantly announced first and the diastolic weight second.

Hypertension is characterized as systolic circulatory strain (SBP) of 140 mm Hg or more prominent, diastolic pulse (DBP) of 90 mm Hg or more noteworthy. Typical pulse is equivalent or beneath 120/80 mm Hg.

Hypertension is additionally characterized into various stages. These stages, alongside other hazard factors, help decide the degree and kind of treatment. Table 1 demonstrates the order of circulatory strain in grown-ups more than 18 years old not right now taking any drugs for hypertension.

Chinese Medicine: how does chinese prescription treat hypertension 

Hypertension is to a great extent analyzed by strange readings of circulatory strain that deliberate on three separate events. (It would be ideal if you see western prescription area for reference).

In light of the four examination aptitudes, TCM specialists will analyze hypertension as per its clinical side effects and further indicate it by the disharmony designs shown by people. As TCM trusts that at different phases of an ailment, explicit disharmony designs are available which require diverse sorts of treatment. That is the reason two people with a similar illness might be dealt with distinctively by their TCM experts - chinese medicine treat high blood pressure
 Normal disharmony examples of hypertension are:

Hyperactivity of liver-yang

Principle highlights: distending torment in the head, unsteadiness, obscured vision, peevishness, poor rest, flushed face, harsh preference for mouth, a red tongue with thin yellow covering, and the beat is rigid and strong. There may likewise go with rib-side distress.

Examination: liver hyperactivity implies the organ can't assume its administrative job appropriately and in this way results in the distending cerebral pain, unsteadiness and obscured vision; liver fire bothers the soul that outcomes in the fractiousness and poor rest; while the rib-side uneasiness, flushed face and unpleasant taste are caused by flame changed from stagnated qi in the liver and gallbladder. Different signs like the red tongue with thin yellow covering, rigid and powerful chinese medicine treat high blood pressure heartbeat are the signs of liver-yang hyperactivity. This example normally happens in the beginning time of hypertension.

Yin insufficiency of liver and kidney chinese medicine treat high blood pressure

Principle highlights: dull agony in the head, dazedness, obscured vision, humming of the ears, hot sensation in the chest, palms and soles, amble soreness and lower leg shortcoming. The tongue is red with little hide, and the beat is thready or thready and fast.

Investigation: yin lack results in moderately yang hyperactivity, when this influences the head district, there will be dull agony in the head, obscured vision and wooziness; yin inadequacy will in general create virtual fire, and consequently results in the hot sensations; kidney is housed in the lumbar and it additionally rules the bones, so the lumbar soreness and lower leg shortcoming are identified with kidney shortcoming; different signs like the red tongue with little hide, and thready heartbeat are harmonized with yin insufficiency of liver and kidney, the quick heartbeat implies the interior body is warmed. This example for the most part happens in the center phase of hypertension.

Lack of both yin and yang - chinese medicine treat high blood pressure

Primary highlights: wooziness, poor memory, thin, mouth dryness, hot sensation in the chest, palms and soles, general shortcoming, profound exhaustion, breath shortness, night recurrence, lumbar soreness, and knee shortcoming. The tongue is pale, and the beat is thready and forceless.

Investigation: kidney embodiment is a critical part of body's yin, and because of its consumption, the entire body is under-fed. The cerebrum can't work ordinarily, and along these lines builds up the dazedness and poor memory; the muscles are squandering and in this way ends up thin; inadequacy of liquid generation and in this manner has the mouth dryness; yin lack makes virtual fire, and subsequently has the hot sensations. Then again, yin insufficiency prompts a progressive exhaustion in body's yang, thus has the otherworldly weariness and breath shortness; while night recurrence, lumbar soreness and knee shortcoming are the signs of kidney inadequacy; different signs like the pale tongue, thready and forceless heartbeat are agreed with yin and yang lack. This example more often than not happens in the late phase of hypertension that has keep going for quite a while. People are for the most part more established, have tenacious hypertension and with confusions in the heart, mind or kidney organs.

Mucus and soddenness aggregation 

Principle highlights: distending and weight sensations in the head, tipsiness, chest stuffiness, sickness, poor craving, sluggishness, oily tongue covering and rigid and moving heartbeat.

Investigation: the head holes are impeded by the overabundance moistness and mucus, and subsequently cause the distending migraines, unsteadiness and tiredness; mucus and clamminess amassing is regularly connected with brokenness of the center burner, so there is chest stuffiness and sickness; since spleen and stomach are situated in the center burner, thus influenced the craving; the white oily tongue covering, and tight and moving heartbeat are the signs of abundance mucus and sogginess. This kind of people is regularly fat, not physically dynamic, and they will in general have wasteful processing and ingestion, or a poor craving.

Blood stasis blocking pledges 

Fundamental highlights: dazedness, wounding agony in the head or chest, chest stuffiness, appendage deadness, purplish tongue and lips, or purple spots on the tongue, thready or reluctant heartbeat.

Investigation: tireless hypertension will in general create blood stasis and obstruct blood stream, which cause the dazedness, wounding agony in the head or chest, chest stuffiness and appendage deadness; the purplish lips, tongue and heartbeat signs all show that blood stasis has created. This example as a rule happens in the late phase of hypertension that goes with organ harms.

Asymptomatic hypertension - chinese medicine treat high blood pressure

Hypertensive people feel fine and have not indication. Amid examination, the tongue might be red or light red shading, the beat is tight and thready or rigid and rolling.

People ought to be separated from conditions where the hypertension is caused by an explicit illness process, auxiliary hypertension is all the more much of the time seen in:

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People with clinical or biochemical highlights of an explicit issue. For instance, anomalous blood hormone levels, for example, catecholamines may propose an endocrine infection of pheochromocytoma - Chinese medicine treat high blood pressure

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Youthful age (30-years of age and under)

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Quickened hypertension (extreme instances of hypertension) proposes cardiovascular causes like aneurysm.

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Troublesome (hypertension that does not react to medicine) recommends renal causes like inherent polycystic kidneys.

Note: If a TCM specialist suspects there may be a difficult issue that Chinese medication alone can't treat, the person in question will prescribe the person to see a western specialist for further development.

Learn more: Acupressure for Pain and Headaches

10 Herbs That May Help Lower High Blood Pressure

If you’re thinking of trying herbs for medical reasons, whether it’s the whole herb or a supplement, speak to your doctor first. Currently, there are no herbs regularly recommended by high blood pressure specialists. Some herbs, especially in large quantities, may produce undesirable side effects or interfere with other medications.

Read on to learn more about herbs and the research surrounding them.

1. Basil

Basil is a delicious herb that goes well in a variety of foods. It also might help lower your blood pressure. In rodents, basil extract has been shown to lower blood pressure, although only briefly. The chemical eugenol, which is found in basil, may block certain substances that tighten blood vessels. This may lead to a drop in blood pressure. More studies are needed.

Adding fresh basil to your diet is easy and certainly can’t hurt. Keep a small pot of the herb in your kitchen garden and add the fresh leaves to pastas, soups, salads, and casseroles.

2. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is another tasty seasoning that requires little effort to include in your daily diet, and it may bring your blood pressure numbers down. One study done in rodents suggested that cinnamon extract lowered both sudden-onset and prolonged high blood pressure. However, the extract was given intravenously. It’s unclear if cinnamon consumed orally is also effective.

You can include more cinnamon in your diet by sprinkling it on your breakfast cereal, oatmeal, and even in your coffee. At dinner, cinnamon enhances the flavor of stir-fries, curries, and stews.

3. Cardamom

Cardamom is a seasoning that comes from India and is often used in South Asian cuisine. A small study of 20 people investigating the health effects of cardamom found that participants with high blood pressure saw significant reductions in their blood pressure readings after taking 1.5 grams of cardamom powder twice a day for 12 weeks. You can include cardamom seeds or powder in spice rubs, soups and stews, and even baked goods for a special flavor and a possible positive health benefit.

4. Flax seed

Flax seed is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and has been shown in some studies to lower blood pressure. A recent review suggested taking 30–50 grams of whole or ground seeds per day for more than 12 weeks to get the best benefits. Flax seed may protect against atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease by reducing serum cholesterol, improving glucose tolerance, and acting as an antioxidant.

You can buy many products that contain flax seed, but a better bet is to buy whole or ground flax seed and add it to your home-cooked meals. The best part about flax seed is that it can be stirred into virtually any dish, from soups to smoothies to baked goods. Storing flax seed in your freezer may help it retain optimum potency.

5. Garlic

This pungent seasoning can do more than just flavor your food and ruin your breath. Garlic may have the ability to lower your blood pressure by helping to increase a substance in the body known as nitric oxide, which can cause your blood vessels to relax and dilate. This lets blood flow more freely and reduces blood pressure.

You can add fresh garlic to a number of your favorite recipes. If the flavor is just too strong for you, roast the garlic first. And if you simply can’t eat the stuff, you can get garlic in supplement form.

6. Ginger

Ginger may help control blood pressure. In animal studies it has been shown to improve blood circulation and relax the muscles surrounding blood vessels, lowering blood pressure. Human studies so far have been inconclusive. Commonly used in Asian foods, ginger is a versatile ingredient that can also be added to sweets or beverages. Chop, mince, or grate fresh ginger into stir-fries, soups, and noodle or vegetable dishes, or add it to desserts or tea for a refreshing taste.

7. Hawthorn

Hawthorn is an herbal remedy for high blood pressure that has been used in traditional Chinese medicines for thousands of years. In rodents, extracts of hawthorn seem to have a whole host of benefits on cardiovascular health, including helping reduce blood pressure, preventing hardening of the arteries, and lowering cholesterol. You can take hawthorn as a pill, liquid extract, or tea.

8. Celery seed

Celery seed is an herb used to flavor soups, stews, casseroles, and other savory dishes. Celery has long been used to treat hypertension in China, and studies in rodents have shown that it may be effective. You can use the seeds, or you can juice the whole plant. Celery may also be a diuretic, which may help explain its effect on blood pressure. Researchers believe that a variety of substances in celery may play a role in lowering blood pressure. However, human studies are needed.

9. French lavender

The beautiful, perfume-like scent of lavender is not the only useful aspect of the plant. Lavender extracts have been shown to lower heart rate and blood pressure in rodents. Although not many people think to use lavender as a culinary herb, you can use the flowers in baked goods. The leaves can be used in the same way you would use rosemary.

10. Cat’s claw

Cat’s claw is an herbal medicine used in traditional Chinese practice to treat hypertension as well as neurological health problems. Studies of cat’s claw as a treatment for hypertension in rodents indicate that it may be helpful in reducing blood pressure by acting on calciumchannels in your cells. You can get cat’s claw in supplement form from many health food stores.

Another investigation proposes that a type of needle therapy may profit patients with hypertension and lower their danger of stroke and coronary illness. How to control high blood pressure by acupressure

The single-dazzle preliminary, directed at the University of California-Irvine (UCI), is the main logical affirmation that the antiquated control high blood pressure by acupressure Chinese medicinal procedure is gainful for patients with gentle to direct hypertension.

In the diary Medical Acupuncture, the group depicts discovering how electroacupuncture can bring down circulatory strain for up to about a month and a half in patients with hypertension.

Electroacupuncture is a type of needle therapy that applies low-power electrical heartbeats through needles embedded at explicit focuses on the body.

The specialists state their discoveries propose that with control high blood pressure by acupressure standard use, electroacupuncture could enable individuals to  deal with their pulse and lessen their danger of coronary illness and stroke in the more drawn out term.

Senior creator John Longhurst, a cardiologist and UCI teacher of drug, says the clinical examination comes after about 10 years of seat investigation into the impact of needle therapy on hypertension. He includes:

"By utilizing Western logical thoroughness to approve an antiquated Eastern treatment, we believe we have coordinated Chinese and Western drug and gave a gainful rule to treating a sickness that influences millions in the US."

How to control high blood pressure by acupressure - 70% of treated patients experienced perceptible drop in circulatory strain 

As indicated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are around 70 million American grown-ups (29%) with hypertension - just about portion of whom have the condition under control.

Quick actualities about needle therapy

Needle therapy is a conventional Chinese drug that has been being used for more than 3,000 years

It utilizes thin needles to invigorate at least one out of several explicit focuses on the body

US controllers endorsed needle therapy needles for use by authorized specialists in 1996.

Hypertension costs the US some $46 billion per year. This figure covers human services administrations, meds and nonappearance from work.

For their investigation, Prof. Longhurst and partners selected 65 patients with hypertension who were not taking any medications to treat their condition. Every patient was haphazardly allocated to one of two gatherings - control high blood pressure immediately acupressure

The two gatherings were treated with electroacupuncture, then again, actually one gathering (the treatment gathering) had it connected to the two sides of the internal wrists and marginally beneath every knee (acupoints thought to lessen circulatory strain), and the other gathering had it connected to different acupoints along the lower arm and lower leg (the control gathering).

The preliminary was a solitary visually impaired preliminary. That implies the professionals giving the treatment knew which patients were in the treatment gathering and which were in the control gathering, however the patients did not.

The outcomes demonstrated that 70% of the 33 patients in the treatment aggregate encountered a detectable drop in pulse. All things considered, the decrease was 6-8 mm/Hg for systolic circulatory strain and 4 mm/Hg for diastolic pulse.

Systolic (when the heart contracts) is the higher, and diastolic (when the heart rests between pulsates) is the lower number in circulatory strain readings.

The specialists state these upgrades continued for about a month and a half after treatment.

Treatment likewise pursued by other helpful changes - How to control high blood pressure immediately acupressure

The treatment bunch likewise indicated noteworthy drops - 41% all things considered - in blood grouping of norepinephrine (additionally called noradrenaline), a hormone that chokes veins and expands circulatory strain and glucose.

The treatment amass additionally demonstrated a 67% drop in renin - a catalyst discharged in the kidneys that enables control to pulse - and a 22% drop in a hormone control high blood pressure immediately acupressure that manages electrolytes (aldosterone).

There were no noteworthy circulatory strain changes in the 32 patients in the control gathering.

Prof. Longhurst noticed that while the decreases in circulatory strain found in the treatment amass were not extensive - most extended between 4 mm/Hg and 13 mm/Hg - they were clinically noteworthy and propose the treatment could be particularly helpful for individuals in their 60s and more seasoned with high systolic pulse. He finishes up:

"Since electroacupuncture diminishes both pinnacle and normal systolic pulse more than 24 hours, this treatment may diminish the hazard for stroke, fringe course infection, heart disappointment and myocardial localized necrosis in hypertensive patients."

Therapeutic News Today additionally as control high blood pressure immediately acupressure of late found out about an examination distributed in the diary Endocrinology that recommends needle therapy acts comparatively to mental medications when used to treat constant pressure. Specialists from Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, DC, reached this resolution in the wake of running controlled trials with rodents.

Learn more: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): East-West Perspective

Chinese Medicine: Treating High Blood Pressure with Acupuncture

Researches from the Center of Integrative Medicine, U.C. Irvine in collaboration with East Hospital in Shanghai, China, and the Southern CA University of Health Sciences recently published an article on the long term effects of weekly electro-acupuncture on mild to moderate hypertension.

Researches from the Center of Integrative Medicine, U.C. Irvine in collaboration with East Hospital in Shanghai, China, and the Southern CA University of Health Sciences recently published an article in the Medical Acupuncture Magazine on the effects of electro- acupuncture on reducing blood pressure among patients with hypertension.


High blood pressure is a common condition affecting people around the globe.  According to the CDC, in the United States alone, one of three the adult population is suffering from hypertension.   It is known that the incidence of hypertension increases with age, and only half of the people manage to have their condition under control.  Uncontrolled hypertension is therefore, many time complicated with additional medical conditions such as diabetes and stroke.   The total cost of hypertension in the nation is averaging on $46 billion each year!
Many individuals, especially among the aging population, suffer from adverse effects of the anti- hypertensive pharmaceutical drugs. As a result, it has been suggested that people with blood pressure levels greater than 120/80 mmHg should consider complementary methods to help decrease blood pressure, when clinically suitable.

Nevertheless, western medical physicians are still reluctant to recommend acupuncture for their hypertensive patients because its treatment efficacy remains controversial and the underlying physiologic mechanisms of the acupuncture effects on hypertension are not clear.

The effects of acupuncture in hypertensive patients was evaluation over several studies but was,  unfortunately, found to be inconclusive; while some researchers suggested that acupuncture can decrease elevated blood pressure, others concluded that there is little or no effect.  There were also some floes in the studies design including small sample size, lack of randomization, and lack of follow up period.

In their study, the researchers attempted to overcome these weaknesses and produce a solid research with a good number of participants; 65 total which were randomly assigned to one of  two acupuncture intervention (33 control group versus 32 in the patient group).  Participants had also an eight weeks follow where the research outcomes were obtained by double-blinded evaluation.

Primary outcomes measuring effectiveness of Electrical Acupuncture were peak and average Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP- higher number) and Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP- lower number). Secondary outcomes aimed to examine the underlying mechanisms of acupuncture.  This was done by testing some of the blood plasma components such as norepinephrine, renin, and aldosterone before and after 8 weeks of treatment.

The current study, showed that weekly electro-acupuncture treatments on Acupuncture points PC 5-6 (Jian Shi & Nei Guan) and ST 36-37 (Su San Li & Shang Ju Xu) for an 8 weeks period decreases blood pressure for a prolonged period in patients with mild to moderate hypertension. The research was also able to show that the reason  electro acupuncture was effective on reducing the elevated SBP is related reduction in sympathetic nerve system activity of the body, and consequently the circulation of norepinephrine, renin, and aldosterone which affect blood pressure levels.

Traditional Chinese Medicine: Ebook -Program Treating High Blood Pressure with Acupressure

Natural Synergy

Natural Synergy employs a combination of two Acu-therapies: Acupressure and Acu-Acoustics to extinguish strong pain while accelerating the healing process; much like Electro-Acupuncture but without the pain and discomfort of electric needles. 

A process called Acu-Entrainment.

You can expect fantastic results with either of these acu-therapies; acupressure or acu-acoustics by itself…

But it turns into a holistic experience if you have some quiet time for deep

relaxation where you can apply both practices together.

And because you can do it by yourself at home you don’t need to spend countless hours (and thousands of dollars) on an acupuncturist.

Natural Synergy applies a simple non-invasive exercise that takes only 3 minutes a day…

Restoring the natural balance within your body; eliminating the root cause of your pain or ailment and maintaining a healthy free-flow of energy.