Chiropractic Lowers Blood Pressure

As a clinician, I have seen dozens of people stabilize their blood pressure through chiropractic care.  The research has recently come out, indicating that chiropractic care is an effective treatment to help stabilize blood pressure for individuals suffering with hypertension.

Chiropractic adjustments take pressure off of the nervous system, decreasing the physiological stress response, allowing the body to secrete appropriate hormone mix for function and healing.  The result is a decrease in inflammation, improved blood pressure and enhanced organ function.

Thoracic Adjustments Are Effective

A double blind study of 75 patients performed in 1988 analyzed the impact of chiropractic care on individuals with hypertension.  The study focused on chiropractic adjustments given to the thoracic region compared to a placebo group that received what is called a “sham adjustment,” where the movements simulated an adjustment but no adjustment was given.  

A third group in the study received no treatment at all.  The results of the study indicated that the adjusted group experienced a decrease in both the systolic (top number) and diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure compared to the control and placebo group who had no significant changes.   

Chiropractic Outperforms Blood Pressure Medications 

Another study on upper cervical chiropractic which focuses on the top bone in the neck showed significant improvement in stabilizing blood pressure for individuals with hypertension.  Study leader George Bakris, MD, told WebMD, “this chiropractic procedure has the effect of not one, but two blood pressure medications given in combination….and it seems to be adverse event free.  We saw no side effects and no problems.”  Bakris is the director of the University of Chicago hypertension center.  

The study demonstrated that 8 weeks after getting the specific adjustment, 25 patients with early stage hypertension had significantly lower blood pressure than the 25 similar patients who got the sham adjustments.  

Patients are unable to feel this particular technique and therefore they had no idea of what group they were in with the study. 

Study Details

When compared to the control group, those who received the specific adjustment experienced an average 14mm Hg drop in the systolic blood pressure and an average of 8 mm HG drop in the diastolic blood pressure.  

Another randomized, controlled study performed by Dr Yates, examined the impact of blood pressure changes in 21 subjects experiencing upper thoracic chiropractic adjustments.   The subjects were analyzed and found to have subluxation or nerve interference in their upper cervical region and then put into one of three groups.  

These random assigned groups included an active, placebo and control group.  

The individuals in the active group (got the real adjustment), demonstrated statistically significant improvements in both the systolic and diastolic blood pressure.  The control and placebo groups did not experience any major changes or significant differences from each other.  

The results of these studies and more demonstrate that chiropractic care and specifically adjustments of subluxated vertebrae in the upper cervical and thoracic regions is an effective treatment method for individuals suffering with elevated blood pressure.  

Sources For This Article:                

G Bakris, M Dickholtz Sr, P M Meyer, G Kravitz, E Avery, M Miller, J Brown, C Woodfield, B Bell. Atlas vertebra realignment and achievement of arterial pressure goal in hypertensive patients: a pilot study. Journal of Human Hypertension.  March 2, 2007.  

Yates RG, Lamping DL, Abram NL, Wright C “Effects of Chiropractic Treatment on Blood Pressure and Anxiety: A Randomized, Controlled Trial” J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1988; 11(6): 484-488.