The idea of low blood pressure can sound desirable. Less stress on your heart would be great, right? Unfortunately, this is not necessarily the case. For many people, clinically low blood pressure, or hypotension, can cause problems such as fainting, fatigue, and dizziness. In addition to a few lifestyle changes, we can use acupuncture for hypotension and help restore and promote normal, healthy blood flow.
Hypotension is a decrease in systemic blood pressure to a point below accepted low values. This low pressure is generally below 90/60 mmHg. Often asymptomatic, hypotension regularly becomes a major concern when vital organs are not being supplied with sufficient oxygen-rich blood. Hypotension is also often asymptomatic. In health, the heart acts as a pump to produce pressure which moves blood through the arteries and veins throughout the body.
In Western Medicine, hypotension has various etiological causes, including bleeding, aging, pregnancy, diabetes, and heart diseases, which result in the heart’s functional inability to generate sufficient blood pressure. These conditions impact the heart’s ability to create enough pressure to pump sufficient blood through the body. Certain medications, such as beta-blockers, can also result in hypotension. Dilation and expansion of blood vessels will decrease the resistance to blood flow and thus result in decreased blood pressure. In the absence of autonomic regulation of the vessels, hypotension can manifest.
In Chinese Medicine, Flaws and Sionneau explain that the cause of hypotension is directly related to Spleen qi deficiency. The SP can become deficient from various lifestyle and energetic causes. These causes include excessive consumption of cold and/or raw foods, overeating, undereating, mental strain, and exposure to dampness. We can use acupuncture for hypotension treatment that is stemming from SP qi deficiency.
Sharma, Hashmi, and Bhattacharya explain that in health, blood pressure is constantly regulated and controlled by the autonomic nervous system, held in balance by the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The sympathetic nervous system increases the heart rate and constricts arterioles, thus raising blood pressure. In contrast, the parasympathetic nervous system decreases heart rate and relaxes the arterioles, increasing vessel diameter, which results in blood pressure decrease. In cases of hypotension, this continuous regulation system is thrown out of balance, and the sympathetic nervous system is unable to sufficiently increase heart rate or constrict arterioles to provide sufficiently increased blood pressure.
In Chinese medicine, the SP controls the blood, particularly SP qi, and it is charged with keeping blood in the vessels. The SP also controls the raising of qi. When SP qi becomes deficient, the SP becomes unable to hold the blood in the vessels, resulting in hypotension, and cannot raise the qi to increase blood pressure. The SP being unable to raise qi is like the sympathetic nervous system being unable to increase heart rate and constrict the arterioles, resulting in the failure of keeping blood in the vessels. As previously discussed, exposure to dampness is a reason that SP qi may become deficient, as well as mental stress, overeating, undereating, and eating cold, raw foods. These activities and environments overly tax the SP and SP qi, resulting in its inability to generate qi and function to properly hold the blood in the vessels. To use acupuncture for hypotension, we will want to design a treatment plan with points that support the nourishment of SP qi.
Hypotension is often asymptomatic, but common symptoms include lightheadedness and dizziness. Other symptoms can include a pale complexion, tiredness, weak limbs, loose stools, a craving for sweet foods, abdominal distension after eating, a weak voice, and a swollen tongue, possibly with a transverse crack(s). A Chinese medical practitioner would expect to feel that the pulse on the right middle position will be fine, forceless, and slow. In severe cases, palpitations and syncope may occur.
A Western practitioner will use various tests to diagnose hypotension. These tests can include a blood pressure test as well as lab work such as a complete blood count with differential, TSH, free t4, and cortisol levels. For some patients, an echocardiogram may be done to determine left ventricle ejection fraction, right ventricle pressure, and the presence or absence of pericardial effusion.
In addition to gathering symptom information, a CM practitioner would feel the patient’s pulses and look at the patient’s tongue. The practitioner may also perform a physical examination, in which they may palpate the body to find points of pain, tenderness, or other diagnostic abnormalities. Upon data assessment, the CM practitioner would diagnose this person with the pattern of Spleen qi deficiency. After coming to this diagnosis, we can plan our acupuncture for hypotension treatment to address this pattern.
Hypotension does not always require medical intervention, as it is often asymptomatic. Depending on the patient, they may be encouraged to drink more fluids and electrolytes, and possibly either take medication to increase their blood pressure or modify their medication that lowers their blood pressure. In some cases, with patients in shock, adding steroids can help with appropriate fluid recirculation and maintaining proper blood pressure. While this is not necessarily life-threatening, hypotension should be monitored closely by the patient, and they should discuss it regularly with their care provider. An acupuncture practitioner would address the pattern of SP qi deficiency by tonifying the SP and SP qi. To do this acupuncture for hypotension treatment, a practitioner could use the points ST36, SP6, GV20, CV6, BL20, ST21, and ST25. These points would all be tonified, and moxa would be used on all except GV20.
To prevent hypotension, dietary and lifestyle changes would be the main focus. In addition to not standing or sitting for excessive periods of time, avoiding cold/raw foods would be a strong recommendation. Also avoiding overeating would be suggested. Consuming sweet foods, such as grains, can also be advisable to help to support the SP. Avoiding eating while working as well. When eating, it is recommended to only focus on the meal, and no other aspects of life happening around you. Avoiding worrying and circular thinking is also recommended.
While it may not sound concerning, hypotension can pose serios risk to one’s health and wellbeing. Along with a few lifestyle and dietary changes, acupuncture for hypotension is an easy, relaxing, and very beneficial treatment for the condition.
References
Flaws, B., & Sionneau, P. (2005). The treatment of modern western medical diseases with chinese medicine (2nd ed.). Boulder, CO: Blue Poppy Press.
NIH. (n.d.). Low blood pressure. Retrieved from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/low-blood-pressure
Sahmeddini, M. A., Eghbal, M. H., Khosravi, M. B., Ghaffaripour, S., Janatmakan, F., & Shokrizade, S. (2012). Electro-acupuncture stimulation at acupoints reduced the severity of hypotension during anesthesia in patients undergoing liver transplantation. Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies, 5(1), 11-14. doi:10.1016/j.jams.2011.11.001
Sharma, S., Hashmi, M. F., & Bhattacharya, P. T. (2019, November 15). Hypotension. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499961/
DISCLAIMER: this blog post is intended for informational purposes only. Do not perform any treatments included in the post yourself. This includes, but is not limited to, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and Chinese nutritional therapy. They should only be performed by educated and licensed acupuncture practitioners.
National Institutes of Health (NIH) studies have shown that acupuncture is an effective treatment alone or in combination with conventional therapies to treat the following:
Nausea caused by surgical anesthesia and cancer chemotherapy
Dental pain after surgery
Addiction
Headaches
Menstrual cramps
Tennis elbow
Fibromyalgia
Myofascial pain
Osteoarthritis
Low back pain
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Asthma
It may also help with stroke rehabilitation.
If you are curious about the benefits of acupuncture, scheudule an appointment for a personal consultation, and evaluation.
