The Acupuncture helps alleviate Hypertension.
Acupuncture has been used for decades to relieve pain and gain therapeutic response. The process includes the use of filamentous needles inserted to the different points of the body to create alleviating treatment for some health-related conditions such as hypertension. Many studies have been published and claimed that acupuncture is one of the best ways to either reduce or treat hypertension effectively. However, this therapeutic method is still being criticized by many researchers and health professionals due to a lack of scientific information to support it. In relation to this, the panel would like to present the reasons that acupuncture helps alleviate hypertension.
What is acupuncture
Acupuncture is one part of the following several well-known essential parts of traditional Far Eastern Oriental Medicine. 1 It is self regulating and considered as the safest system of medicine in existence.2
Acupuncture widely viewed as mainly useful for accomplishing pain relief especially of mucoskeletal origin. It has many potential clinical strengths, as in womens reproductive health, mood issues, immune systems modulation, and digestive, respiratory, neurological and skin health.3
The art of acupuncture depends on knowing precisely which nerve to stimulate in a given disease.2 We can call it a self-regulating system of medicine, for the nerve-passes stimulated by the needle are the very ones the body itself uses to regulate its several physiological processes. 2 The nerves directly stimulated by the way of branch of the nerve network going to the skin.2
The prick of the needle at certain precisely defined points on the skin stimulates specific nerves, which transmit electrical impulses to the spinal cord and lower centers of the brain and thence to the diseased area.2 Nerves are supplied to every part of the body, under the direct or indirect control of one or group of nerves nearly all processes going on in the body.2
They called the principal nerve endings acupuncture points and the main course of a similar group of nerve endings meridians.2
According to the Stein and Oz, the theory called moxibustion is the reason behind the acupuncture process and that there is a special herb burned to the needle to heat it and the heat will be transferred to the body.4
Evidences that acupuncture can alleviate hypertension.
Acupuncture reduces hypertension. Evidence shows that acupuncture is a promising adjunctive therapy for essential hypertension. A randomized controlled trial (RCTs) on acupuncture for hypertension was published by Neurological Research. Forty-one hypertensive or pre-hypertensive volunteers were randomly assigned into real or sham acupuncture group. The volunteers were on antihypertensive medication. The sham acupuncture group showed no significant change in mean BP, while the real acupuncture group showed a significant (p0.01) decrease in mean BP after 8 weeks of intervention from 136.883.7 to 122.176.8 mmHg1.5
Acupuncture was studied to lower blood pressure. Randomized one hundred sixty (160) outpatients with uncomplicated arterial hypertension in a single-blind fashion to a six-week course of active acupuncture or sham acupuncture. Seventy-eight percent were receiving antihypertensive medication, which remained unchanged. Primary outcome parameters were mean 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure levels after the treatment course and 3 and 6 months later. There was a significant (P0.001) difference in post-treatment blood pressures adjusted for baseline values between the active and sham acupuncture groups at the end of treatment. Acupuncture according to traditional Chinese medicine, but not sham acupuncture, after 6 weeks of treatment significantly lowered mean 24-hour ambulatory blood pressures the effect disappeared after cessation of acupuncture treatment.6
This article identifies and comments on published studies of acupuncture treatment for hypertension and stroke. 13 were hypertension papers with 3 being of controlled trials, and 14 were stroke papers with 5 controlled trials. The articles consisted of randomised controlled trials (RCTs), controlled trials, and case series studies. The hypertension papers also involved some cohort studies. In general, sample sizes of these studies were small. Acupuncture in these papers was used as a secondary intervention for treating hypertension and as a tertiary intervention for stroke rehabilitation. All the case series suggested that acupuncture was an effective treatment. The RCT evidence for stroke showed that the effectiveness of acupuncture was similar to that of conventional treatment.7
A study from Nahas was also performed to review the evidence supporting complementary and alternative medicine approaches used in the treatment of hypertension. Evidence from systematic reviews supports the blood pressurelowering effects of coenzyme Q10, polyphenol-rich dark chocolate, Qigong, slow breathing, and transcendental meditation. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with hypertension and cardiovascular risk supplementation lowered blood pressure in 2 trials. Acupuncture reduced blood pressure in 3 trials in 1 of these it was no better than an invasive placebo. Melatonin was effective in 2 small trials, but caution is warranted in patients taking pharmacotherapy.8
A systematic review was conducted to estimate the effect of acupuncture on blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive patients. Electronic literature searches for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture were performed in six electronic databases to June 2007 without language restrictions. Eleven RCTs testing acupuncture either as an adjunct or an alternative met our inclusion criteria. Three sham-controlled trials out showed systolic BP (SBP) change was not statistically significant (mean difference -5 mm Hg, 95 CI (-12, 1), P 0.12) and acupuncture only marginally reduced diastolic BP (DBP) by 3 mm Hg (95 CI (-6, 0), P 0.05), but substantial heterogeneity was observed (I2 92 for SBP, I2 79 for DBP). When given with antihypertensive medication, acupuncture significantly reduced SBP (-8 mm Hg, 95 CI (-10, -5), P 0.00001) and DBP (-4 mm Hg, 95 CI (-6, -2), P 0.0001) and no heterogeneity between studies was detected. The results of the meta-analysis of the three sham-controlled studies, the notion that acupuncture may lower high BP is inconclusive. More rigorous trials are warranted.9
A preliminary study was performed to determine the effect of acupuncture-point stimulation on diastolic blood pressure in hypertensive subjects. Electrical stimulation of four specific acupuncture points (Liver 3, Stomach 36, Large intestine 11, and the Groove for Lowering Blood Pressure) was examined in order to determine the effect of thb stimulation on diastolic blood pressure in 10 subjects with diastolic hypertension. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups an Acu-ES group, which received electrical stimulation, applied to the four antihypertensive acupuncture points and (2) a Sham-ES group, which received electrical stimulation applied to non-acupuncture-point areas. A repeated measures analysis of variance revealed a significant, immediate post-stimulation reduction of diastolic blood pressure for the Acu-Es group versus the Sham-ESgroup.10
What is acupuncture
Acupuncture is one part of the following several well-known essential parts of traditional Far Eastern Oriental Medicine. 1 It is self regulating and considered as the safest system of medicine in existence.2
Acupuncture widely viewed as mainly useful for accomplishing pain relief especially of mucoskeletal origin. It has many potential clinical strengths, as in womens reproductive health, mood issues, immune systems modulation, and digestive, respiratory, neurological and skin health.3
The art of acupuncture depends on knowing precisely which nerve to stimulate in a given disease.2 We can call it a self-regulating system of medicine, for the nerve-passes stimulated by the needle are the very ones the body itself uses to regulate its several physiological processes. 2 The nerves directly stimulated by the way of branch of the nerve network going to the skin.2
The prick of the needle at certain precisely defined points on the skin stimulates specific nerves, which transmit electrical impulses to the spinal cord and lower centers of the brain and thence to the diseased area.2 Nerves are supplied to every part of the body, under the direct or indirect control of one or group of nerves nearly all processes going on in the body.2
They called the principal nerve endings acupuncture points and the main course of a similar group of nerve endings meridians.2
According to the Stein and Oz, the theory called moxibustion is the reason behind the acupuncture process and that there is a special herb burned to the needle to heat it and the heat will be transferred to the body.4
Evidences that acupuncture can alleviate hypertension.
Acupuncture reduces hypertension. Evidence shows that acupuncture is a promising adjunctive therapy for essential hypertension. A randomized controlled trial (RCTs) on acupuncture for hypertension was published by Neurological Research. Forty-one hypertensive or pre-hypertensive volunteers were randomly assigned into real or sham acupuncture group. The volunteers were on antihypertensive medication. The sham acupuncture group showed no significant change in mean BP, while the real acupuncture group showed a significant (p0.01) decrease in mean BP after 8 weeks of intervention from 136.883.7 to 122.176.8 mmHg1.5
Acupuncture was studied to lower blood pressure. Randomized one hundred sixty (160) outpatients with uncomplicated arterial hypertension in a single-blind fashion to a six-week course of active acupuncture or sham acupuncture. Seventy-eight percent were receiving antihypertensive medication, which remained unchanged. Primary outcome parameters were mean 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure levels after the treatment course and 3 and 6 months later. There was a significant (P0.001) difference in post-treatment blood pressures adjusted for baseline values between the active and sham acupuncture groups at the end of treatment. Acupuncture according to traditional Chinese medicine, but not sham acupuncture, after 6 weeks of treatment significantly lowered mean 24-hour ambulatory blood pressures the effect disappeared after cessation of acupuncture treatment.6
This article identifies and comments on published studies of acupuncture treatment for hypertension and stroke. 13 were hypertension papers with 3 being of controlled trials, and 14 were stroke papers with 5 controlled trials. The articles consisted of randomised controlled trials (RCTs), controlled trials, and case series studies. The hypertension papers also involved some cohort studies. In general, sample sizes of these studies were small. Acupuncture in these papers was used as a secondary intervention for treating hypertension and as a tertiary intervention for stroke rehabilitation. All the case series suggested that acupuncture was an effective treatment. The RCT evidence for stroke showed that the effectiveness of acupuncture was similar to that of conventional treatment.7
A study from Nahas was also performed to review the evidence supporting complementary and alternative medicine approaches used in the treatment of hypertension. Evidence from systematic reviews supports the blood pressurelowering effects of coenzyme Q10, polyphenol-rich dark chocolate, Qigong, slow breathing, and transcendental meditation. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with hypertension and cardiovascular risk supplementation lowered blood pressure in 2 trials. Acupuncture reduced blood pressure in 3 trials in 1 of these it was no better than an invasive placebo. Melatonin was effective in 2 small trials, but caution is warranted in patients taking pharmacotherapy.8
A systematic review was conducted to estimate the effect of acupuncture on blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive patients. Electronic literature searches for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture were performed in six electronic databases to June 2007 without language restrictions. Eleven RCTs testing acupuncture either as an adjunct or an alternative met our inclusion criteria. Three sham-controlled trials out showed systolic BP (SBP) change was not statistically significant (mean difference -5 mm Hg, 95 CI (-12, 1), P 0.12) and acupuncture only marginally reduced diastolic BP (DBP) by 3 mm Hg (95 CI (-6, 0), P 0.05), but substantial heterogeneity was observed (I2 92 for SBP, I2 79 for DBP). When given with antihypertensive medication, acupuncture significantly reduced SBP (-8 mm Hg, 95 CI (-10, -5), P 0.00001) and DBP (-4 mm Hg, 95 CI (-6, -2), P 0.0001) and no heterogeneity between studies was detected. The results of the meta-analysis of the three sham-controlled studies, the notion that acupuncture may lower high BP is inconclusive. More rigorous trials are warranted.9
A preliminary study was performed to determine the effect of acupuncture-point stimulation on diastolic blood pressure in hypertensive subjects. Electrical stimulation of four specific acupuncture points (Liver 3, Stomach 36, Large intestine 11, and the Groove for Lowering Blood Pressure) was examined in order to determine the effect of thb stimulation on diastolic blood pressure in 10 subjects with diastolic hypertension. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups an Acu-ES group, which received electrical stimulation, applied to the four antihypertensive acupuncture points and (2) a Sham-ES group, which received electrical stimulation applied to non-acupuncture-point areas. A repeated measures analysis of variance revealed a significant, immediate post-stimulation reduction of diastolic blood pressure for the Acu-Es group versus the Sham-ESgroup.10
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