When a person experiences low blood pressure on a regular basis, they may be diagnosed with what is called primary hypotension. Hypotension is not uncommon but it can be challenging to manage. People who are over the age of 45 are at an increased risk of developing low blood pressure, so people of this age range should ask their primary doctors to regularly test their blood pressure. While there are medical, traditional treatments that can help to increase blood pressure for people living with primary hypotension, acupuncture is also a beneficial complementary treatment for those who want to introduce something that’s less invasive and offers fewer side effects into their treatment plan.
Primary hypotension, or low blood pressure, is characterised by a lower blood pressure number than normal, which is typically below 90 mm systolic or 60 mm diastolic. Every person’s prime blood pressure number is normal, so it’s important to know that a low blood pressure number for you may be different than another person’s. It depends on a person’s height and BMI. However, a person living with low blood pressure should take a diagnosis seriously, because it is dangerous and can risk overall health and even life itself.
There are a number of causes of primary hypotension, and identifying these causes can be helpful to treatment efforts. Some causes of primary hypotension can include:
While there are medications you can take to help increase blood pressure, these medications can cause unwanted side effects, take longer to achieve results than patients may want, and can be ineffective for some people (treatment-resistant low blood pressure). Adding acupuncture to a person’s treatment plan to address low blood pressure can be a benefit to any of these cases. There are a couple of different approaches to acupuncture that help people raise their blood pressure over time including:
Traditional Acupuncture: In these sessions, acupuncture needles are placed on specific pressure points located on the ear and on the head. For best results, needles remain in these acupoints for about 20 minutes. And, people can start seeing results in as little as 10 or fewer sessions.
Magnetic Acupuncture: This form of acupuncture uses magnetic properties rather than needles to stimulate acupuncture points. They are placed and taken off of the pressure points about every 15 minutes for best results.
For both acupuncture treatment options that offer relief for low blood pressure symptoms, patients can see the best results after using these therapies consistently on a weekly basis.
Acupuncture for low blood pressure works because acupuncture can help to stimulate the neuroendocrine system and other systems of the body that affect blood pressure.
If you’re looking for a new way to approach primary hypotension treatment, considering acupuncture may benefit you greatly. It’s a non-invasive and completely side-effect-free way of addressing a number of medical health conditions, including issues with blood pressure like primary hypotension.
Acupuncture Zen, located in Delray Beach, offers acupuncture sessions for patients who are diagnosed with primary hypotension. Find out more about the conditions we treat and our clinic from our website.
Some symptoms of low blood pressure can go unnoticed for many years before they are recognized as the result of low blood pressure. However, some common symptoms of primary hypotension include:
