Regulate Blood Pressure with Chiropractic Care in London Ontario: Unlock the Benefits
The Way I See It: Can You Regulate Blood Pressure with Chiropractic Care in London Ontario?
I’ve heard that chiropractic adjustments lower blood pressure! Sounds good, but I have what most would consider low blood pressure, primarily because I live an active life and have been a competitive athlete. If chiropractic adjustments lower blood pressure, then I probably shouldn’t get adjusted, right?
Let’s take a closer look.
Understanding Blood Pressure in Canada and How Chiropractic Care Helps Regulate It
Six million Canadian adults, or one in five, have long-term high blood pressure (hypertension) [1]. One in 6 Canadians (762,000 individuals) with high blood pressure are unaware of their condition. High blood pressure is a significant risk factor for stroke, and if left untreated, it can lead to coronary artery disease, dementia, heart and kidney failure, and other chronic diseases [2].
Most Canadians with hypertension (82%) reported taking blood pressure medication. Of these, 62% took one medication, 27% took two medications, and 11% were taking three or more medications for their blood pressure [3]. Given that people with high blood pressure carry a significant risk factor and are more likely than others to die prematurely of heart disease and stroke, you might think that low blood pressure would be a good thing. However, abnormally low blood pressure, also called hypotension, can cause problems as well [4].
Causes of Blood Pressure Imbalances and How Chiropractic Care Can Regulate Blood Pressure in London Ontario
Hypertension and hypotension are not diseases; they are the body’s protective mechanism, an attempt to ensure that adequate blood and oxygenation are getting to the important and vital organs of the body [5]. There are three reasons [6] why you might develop higher or lower than desirable blood pressure:
- Your focus and/or lifestyle choices keep your body and mind in a survival state that requires a higher-than-average blood pressure to survive the day.
- Your body naturally attempts to compensate for a specific challenge somewhere in your body and may need to raise or lower it (this may also be due to a lifestyle choice).
- Your body is unable to fully comprehend and/or respond to what it needs due to a decreased brain-body connection (i.e., subluxation), and has therefore incorrectly altered your blood pressure.
What the Science Says About Chiropractic Care to Regulate Blood Pressure in London Ontario
In March 2007, a study was published in the Journal of Hypertension and referenced on WebMD. The study concluded that precise chiropractic adjustments to the top bone in the neck (atlas) are a safe and natural way to regulate blood pressure with chiropractic care in London Ontario. “This procedure has the effect of not one, but two blood-pressure medications given in combination,” study leader George Bakris, MD, tells WebMD. “And it seems to be adverse-event free. We saw no side effects and no problems,” adds Bakris, director of the University of Chicago hypertension center [7].
Compared to placebo-treated patients, those who received the real adjustment saw an average of a 14 mm Hg greater drop in systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure count), and an average 8 mm Hg greater drop in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom blood pressure number). None of the patients took blood pressure medicine during the eight-week study.
At LifeHouse Chiropractic, we understand the important connection between heart rate variability (HRV) and overall cardiovascular health, including blood pressure regulation. HRV, which we scan during your initial visit and regularly throughout your
care, is a valuable indicator of the balance between your autonomic nervous system and your body’s ability to handle stress. Chiropractic care has been shown to pos
itively influence HRV, helping to improve the body’s natural responses. Since HRV correlates closely with blood pressure, enhancing HRV through chiropractic adjustments can support the regulation of blood pressure, promoting better heart health naturally. This is one of the ways we help our practice members regulate blood pressure with chiropractic care in London, Ontario.
How Chiropractic Care Helps Regulate Blood Pressure Naturally
The fact that blood pressure can be raised or lowered after chiropractic care is exciting because it confirms the body’s ability to create a homeostatic, balanced environment once vertebral subluxations/misalignments are corrected. When you regulate blood pressure with chiropractic care in London Ontario, you’re allowing the body to restore balance naturally.
How Chiropractic Adjustments Regulate Blood Pressure in London Ontario
Chiropractic care regulates blood pressure in a couple of different ways, a thorough spinal exam will help determine the root cause of blood pressure issues:
- Correcting Misalignments: Injury or misalignment to the atlas vertebra affects blood flow in the arteries around the base of the skull. Misalignment can cause increased or decreased blood pressure. Correcting the misalignment with specific chiropractic adjustments can restore normal arterial function and help regulate blood pressure with chiropractic care in London Ontario.
- Improving Neurological Function: Specific chiropractic adjustments positively influence the neurological system, the spine-body-brain connection. Once misalignments of the vertebrae are corrected, a clear neurological connection is made, and the body is able to self-regulate, including the ability to regulate blood pressure.
A Final Note on How to Regulate Blood Pressure with Chiropractic Care in London Ontario
In order to maintain optimal blood pressure, you must follow a healthy lifestyle, have a positive mental focus, and most importantly, have a clear neurological connection. See your chiropractor on a regular basis so you know you have a clear neurological connection. Remember, the benefit of chiropractic care to regulate blood pressure is that it is a natural, drugless, and surgery-free approach to good health, with the goal of freeing the body to function, regulate, and repair itself.
By visiting LifeHouse Chiropractic, you can experience the natural benefits of chiropractic care to regulate blood pressure and enjoy a balanced, healthier life.
References
http://www.heartandstroke.on.ca/site/c.pvI3IeNWJwE/b.3581729/k.359A/Statistics.htm
Yusuf S, Hawken S, Ôunpuu S, Dans T, Avezum A, Lanas F, McQueen M, Budaj A, Pais P, Varigos J, Lisheng L. Effect of potentially modifiable risk factors associated with myocardial infarction in 52 countries (the INTERHEART study): case–control study. Lancet 2004; 364:937-952.
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/cd-mc/slcdcfs-epamccfi/pdf/SLCDCFactSheet2009-Hypertension-eng.pdf
http://bodyandhealth.canada.com/Condition/GetCondition/Low-Blood-Pressure
http://www.chiro.org/research/ABSTRACTS/Atlas_Vertebra_Realignment.shtml
https://uppercervicalsubluxation.sharepoint.com/Pages/2012_1174_bp.aspx
