Possible Vancouver Chiropractic Benefits for Hypertension

Blood pressure. Hypertension. It is a topic among friends and family members and patient/physician interactions even in yoga classes and via meditation apps. Our uptight world has us all stressed out, back pain and neck pain makes us worry, chronic pain anywhere stresses our bodies, nudging blood pressure higher. Vancouver Disc Centers describes recent studies that show some potential promise of chiropractic and spinal manipulation’s ability to positively alter blood pressure.

SPINAL MANIPULATION AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

Spinal manipulation’s effect on the nervous system, specifically its sympathetic (“fight or flight” reactionary part) and parasympathetic (“rest and digest” calm part) functions of the autonomic nervous system, is gaining awareness in the clinical setting with normal clients as well as in the sport setting with athletes. A study of using spinal manipulation versus a sham treatment with recreational athletes revealed that spinal manipulation before exercise triggered a shift toward intensified parasympathetic system function giving rise to diminished performance. (1) That’s not all bad in the clinical setting! Vancouver Disc Centers knows it’s all about when to apply what type of care to get the optimal results. Parasympathetic dominance to help reduce pain is good for athletes suffering with back pain after their exercise.  

CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM, HYPERTENSION, AND MANIPULATION

Manual therapies like Vancouver spinal manipulation and mobilization at Vancouver Disc Centers are recognized for their ability to treat, reduce, and manage spinal pain related conditions. As a side benefit, alterations to the cardiovascular system have been documented. With hypertension being the global health concern (and even reason for death) that it is, such changes are possibly quite critical. Blood pressure control is complex, relying on the autonomic nervous system for its regulation while genetics and physiology may also influence it. Quite a few patients - 20-30% of them - with blood pressure issues do not respond to usual medications. Consequently, alternatives are being considered like chiropractic spinal manipulation therapy. A review of the published literature found promising outcomes that inspire more study. (2) A recent study found that spinal manipulation and mobilization made a statistically significant reduction in systolic blood pressure as well as diastolic blood pressure and heart rate variability though these were statistically non-significant in this study. (3) More research is most definitely needed. Systolic blood pressure reveals the force on the blood vessels when the heart beats (top number) while diastolic reflects the pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats (bottom number). Doctors commonly focus on the top, systolic number, so spinal manipulation’s effect would be welcome if more studies continue to record such effect.   Vancouver Disc Centers offers gentle spinal manipulation treatment via the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.  Its is research-documented and efficacious for reducing back and neck pain.                          

CONTACT Vancouver Disc Centers

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes how the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management may assist the autonomic system.

Make your next Vancouver chiropractic appointment with Vancouver Disc Centers today. Hypertension may well meet its match - or at least back down a bit - with chiropractic spinal manipulation! Let us find out together.