Introduction

Before getting into the how and why of acupuncture treatment for hypertension, let's look more closely at the disorder. Hypertension is defined as a higher than normal hydrostatic pressure of blood within the

arterial system. During contraction of the left ventricle of the heart, blood is forced into the peripheral arteries. At this point the pressure is at its highest point and is known as the systolic pressure. When the heart relaxes, the pressure in the arteries is at its low point and this is known as the diastolic pressure.

When a problem occurs in the pressure regulating system, of which there are many components, a condition of high diastolic or high systolic or both may develop called hypertension.

There are two main categories of hypertension. Primary, essential or idiopathic hypertension are the terms given when the cause of the disease is unknown. This is the most treatable form of high blood pressure with acupuncture, diet and stress relief. Studies show that 90-95% of all cases in North America are of this nature. Secondary hypertension is the name given to the disease when it is directly linked to a specific organic cause and it is generally not well treated by acupuncture. Only 5-10% of cases are thought to fall into this category.

Determining whether or not a person has high blood pressure is somewhat arbitrary and depends on factors such as age, sex and even emotional condition. It should also be taken into consideration that blood pressure may fluctuate in individuals and it's therefore advisable to take several readings at different intervals before diagnosing someone with with this disease. Performing acupuncture may give seemingly good results if the acupuncturist takes the blood pressure after a treatment simply because the patient is relaxed. An average measurement of hypertension is preferred.

Accompanying signs of hypertension include headache at the occipital region or top of the head, occipital stiffness, dizziness, giddiness, tinnitus, irritability and occasionally, epistaxis. Headache presents in 70% of cases while dizziness presents in 40% of cases. (These are well treated with acupuncture, especially when treatment is applied with careful syndrome differentiation.) A very large number of hypertension cases are asymptomatic.

It is now a well established fact that patients with this condition die prematurely. Consequences of hypertension include heart disease, stroke and renal disease. To start with, treatment is based on reduction of risk factors, which include stress, poor diet, smoking, over consumption of alcohol and being overweight as well as encouraging exercise and good emotional control. The next step is through the administration of drugs. Many of these drugs produce adverse side effects and discretion must be used in their prescription. A third aspect of hypertension treatment that is becoming more popular is through public awareness. If people are aware of the risk factors and modify their behaviour to reduce this risk, hypertension can be treated before it has a chance to manifest. In some cases though, a genetic predisposition is a contributing factor ... i.e. it is well known that black people have a much higher incidence than the median.

Because of the complications which often arise during a prolonged course of hypertension drug therapy (ranging from fatigue to impotence ... Yang deficiency in TCM terminology), alternative ways of controlling this disease have been studied. Besides eliminating the risk factors, certain foods, supplements and herbs as well as complimentary forms of treatment like acupuncture and light therapy have been proven effective. Because of its direct link to premature death, hypertension is a very measurable early warning sign of future health problems, and as a practitioner of TCM (or any complimentary health profession), it would be wise to be aware of and monitor a patient's blood pressure, especially if they are over 40 years of age. This article is mainly concerned with the traditional Chinese approach of herbs, moxibustion and acupuncture.