Research Article: Lowering Blood Pressure with Chiropractic

How can a chiropractic adjustment lower blood pressure?

Many people are introduced to chiropractic medicine when they throw out their back or their neck refuses to turn. But as new research is being published, patients may start asking their chiropractor to help them lower their blood pressure.

A research study funded by the University of Chicago in March 2008 looked at the relationship between the alignment of the upper neck and hypertension (high blood pressure). Using a standard double-blinded procedure, they tested to see if patients receiving an upper neck adjustment had any change in their blood pressure after the procedure. To their amazement the patients that had received a upper neck adjustment had an average of a 17 point drop in their blood pressure — a change that usually requires up to two blood pressure medications to achieve.

So how does a simple adjustment of the upper neck lower blood pressure? The idea behind this research sees the “atlas” or C-1 vertebrae as “the fuse box” of the body. When this upper neck vertebrae which is located next to the skull, is shifted slightly to one side or the other, it restricts arterial circulation and nerve flow which affects many bodily functions including blood pressure. When the chiropractic adjustment corrects the alignment, the normal arterial and nerve flow can resume and blood pressure normalizes.

While it is still recommended that chiropractic physicians co-manage hypertensive patients with their internists, this research brings a new, non-pharmaceutical treatment to the table for high blood pressure.

For more information, go to this link on abcnews.com.

Bakris, G. (2007) Atlas vertebra realignment and achievement of arterial pressure goal in hypertensive patients: a pilot study. Journal of Human Hypertension 2007 (May);21 (5):347–352

Published 08/01/2008.