Your Neck, Your Heart & Your Blood Pressure
Your Ability to Adapt Could Save Your Life
Coherence Through Chiropractic, Volume 21, Issue 1
In what has now become an historic research study, George Bakris, MD who is Professor of Medicine and Director of the Comprehensive Hypertension Centre at the University of Chicago teamed up with chiropractor Marshall Dickholtz DC, a world renowned expert in the analysis and correction of vertebral subluxations in the upper part of the neck, to see what would happen to people with high blood pressure who underwent chiropractic care.
The results were nothing short of groundbreaking. So significant were the results that it was picked up around the world by major news outlets. The results showed that correcting structural shifts of the upper neck that are obstructing nerves resulted in lowering of blood pressure similar to two drug combination therapy.
“The unique result of this study was that the upper cervical adjustment studied demonstrated both the ability to lower higher blood pressure values and the ability to raise lower blood pressure values.”
Chiropractic is about removing obstructions to the proper functioning of the nervous system. These obstructions care caused by shifts in the bones (vertebra) that make up the spine and these shifts obstruct the nervous system. Because the nervous system improving connections and the flow of information. These obstructions are caused by shifts in the bones (vertebra) that make up the spine and these shifts obstruct the nervous system and create an obstruction and a disconnect.
Because the nervous system controls and coordinates all functions in the body, obstructing it can have an effect on every function of the body – including the regulation of blood pressure.
These obstructions are referred to as vertebral subluxations in the scientific literature and adjusting them is how chiropractic helps people get healthy.
“It is this obstruction of the nervous system that may cause a cascade of neuromuscular events that lead to abnormal blood pressure regulation. The theory is that once those structural spinal shifts are corrected the body is better able to balance its physiology and adapt to its environment.”
One of the reasons why the study got so much attention of course had to do with the ability to lower blood pressure to the same extent as taking two drugs. And these are powerful drugs! Given the side effects associated with blood pressure medication anything that can do the job as good or better is going to get people’s interest.
And because Bakris is currently the chair of the American Diabetes Association Blood Pressure Consensus Panel and a member of the American Heart Association panel updating resistant hypertension guidelines, the study got lots of people’s attention.
References:
Atlas Vertebra Realignment and Achievement of Arterial Pressure Goal in Hypertensive Patients: A Pilot Study. George L. Bakris, M.D., Marshall Dickholtz Sr. D.C., Peter Meyer, Ph.D., Glenda Kravitz, M.S., Elizabeth Avery, M.S., Martha Miller, B.A., Jonathan Brown, D.C., C. Woodfield, Joseph Bruce, M. Bell, M.D., Jason Haas. Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research – October 29, 2007 – Pages 1-9
Atlas Vertebra Realignment and Arterial Blood Pressure Regulation in 42 Subjects. Scott Torns, D.C. Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research – Issue 2 – April 24, 2012 – Pages 40-45
Knutson, G. Significant Changes in Systolic Blood Pressure Post Vectored Upper Cervical Adjustment vs Resting Control Groups: A Possible Effect of the Cervicosympathetic and/or Pressor Reflex. J Manipulative Physiol Ther, 2001;24:101-109
