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Lowering Blood Pressure Without Medicines Electroacupuncture can reduce high blood pressure
Hypertension is a widespread vascular disease in the population. Researchers have now found that regular treatment with the help of electroacupuncture causes high blood pressure to be reduced. This is due to a release of a kind of opioid in the brain that controls blood pressure.
Researchers at UCI's Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine found during a study that regular electroacupuncture treatment can lower high blood pressure. The physicians published the results of their study in the scientific journal "Scientific Reports".
High blood pressure is widespread and endangers the health of those affected. Physicians have now found that a so-called electro-acupuncture causes a reduction in blood pressure. (Image: Photographee.eu/fotolia.com) What do we mean by high blood pressure??
Many people use the term high blood pressure for those high blood pressure that experts call arterial hypertension. The course of high blood pressure depends on several factors. These include the level of blood pressure and and the presence of other comorbidities. Chronic hypertension leads to arteriosclerosis (arteriosclerosis). Stroke, renal insufficiency and heart attacks can then be triggered by this disease.
Electroacupuncture releases opioid in the brain
Regular treatment with so-called electro-acupuncture can lead to a reduction of high blood pressure. The treatment causes an increase in the release of a type of opioid in the brain, which can control blood pressure, experts explain.
Lowered blood pressure will persist for at least three days after treatment
Tests on experimental rats have shown that treatment with electro-acupuncture causes the lowered blood pressure to last for at least three days. This is related to an increase in gene expression of enkephalins, one of the three major opioid peptides produced in the body, explains author. Zhi-Ling Guo from the UCI Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine.
Even acupuncture can lower blood pressure
The current study presents as the first evidence of the effects of molecular activity in electroacupuncture, which is beneficial in lowering high blood pressure, the authors explain. Already last year, the UCI research team reported that acupuncture on areas of the wrist reduced blood pressure.
Electroacupuncture can be used to treat clinical hypertension
The present study clearly demonstrates that repetitive electroacupuncture has a long-lasting effect in lowering blood pressure in hypertension, the researchers say. This indicates that this type of therapy can be used to treat clinical hypertension.
High blood pressure can damage the heart muscle
Too high a blood pressure damages our heart muscle because it has to pump for years against the increased pressure. As a result, heart failure (myocardial insufficiency) develops. An important risk factor for hypertension may be fat deposits around the abdominal area. Abdominal fat can greatly increase the risk of hypertension.
Lifestyle changes and medications can reduce high blood pressure
However, the risk of the dangerous sequelae is reduced when those affected change their lifestyle and the high blood pressure is normalized by taking medication. However, if the excessively high blood pressure is not treated, the risk of dangerous secondary diseases increases considerably. (As)