Chiropractic Adjustments May Help Reduce Blood Pressure
Chiropractic treatments have many different benefits for patients. One of the benefits that some people don’t realize exist is that adjustments can lower the blood pressure. This is wonderful news for the 65 million Americans who have high blood pressure and the additional Americans who are in the pre-high blood pressure stage.
While some people might want to dispute the results of having regular adjustments, there isn’t much room for debate when it comes to blood pressure improvements. A double-blind study done at the University of Chicago proved that there is a connection between reduction in blood pressure and having the spine realigned.
The Study
This study included 50 patients who had early-stage high blood pressure. Of those, half were given sham chiropractic treatments, and the other half were given actual treatments. Patients couldn’t tell which group they were in due to the methods that were used.
By the end of the eight-week study, patients in the group that received actual adjustments had a reduction in blood pressure readings that is usually possible by using, not one, but two blood pressure medications! An average 14-point reduction in systolic readings and an eight-point reduction in diastolic readings were achieved in this group. There weren’t any negative impacts or side effects noted in this group.
Conversely, the group that received sham treatments didn’t any improvement in their blood pressure. Delving deeper into the study showed an interesting point.
The Atlas Vertebra
One amazing difference that was noted between the two groups was found during X-rays taken at the end of the study. In the patients who had real treatments, the Atlas vertebra, which is located at the very top of the spine, was aligned. This wasn’t the case in the sham treatment group. In the group that didn’t get actual treatments, the Atlas was still misaligned.
It is important to note that many patients with an Atlas misalignment won’t feel any pain. The misalignment of this vertebra by as little as 1 millimeter can have negative impacts on the body. This is because the Atlas vertebra is akin to the fuse box of the body and can affect the blood flow to the arteries. Issues with this area can cause the arteries to contract.
Patients who have high blood pressure may find that chiropractic treatments are a good option to include in their treatment plan. They might find relief from more than just high blood pressure as they undergo regular adjustments.