High Blood Pressure
"A study performed by medical doctors determined the decrease in patients blood pressure after upper cervical treatment was equal to patients taking two blood pressure medications."
High Blood Pressure & Upper Cervical Care
The American Heart Association defines high blood pressure, or hypertension, in an adult as a systolic pressure of 140 or higher and/or a diastolic pressure of 90 or higher. Nearly one in three adults in the United States suffers with high blood pressure and over 50,000 people die each year as a result of this condition. What is more startling is that the actual number of deaths from high blood pressure rose 56% between 1994 and 2004 despite an increase in prescription drug use to combat hypertension.
A non-invasive and drug-free procedure has been shown to significantly reduce blood pressure in patients with hypertension, according to an exciting study published in the Journal of Human Hypertension. According to Dr. Thad Vuagniaux, Co-Founder of the Upper Cervical Health Centers®, “the brain and brain stem play a vital role in the regulation of blood pressure. In order to have normal blood pressure, you must have proper communication between the brain and the body. When a misalignment occurs at the top of the neck near the level of the brain stem, brain to body communication is affected which may result in high blood pressure.”
The Atlas vertebra, which is at the top of the neck, is not anchored like the other bones in the spine. It relies solely on soft tissue (muscles and ligaments) to stay in place, which makes it vulnerable to misalignment. In many patients, the Atlas can become displaced or misaligned without pain and therefore, often goes undetected and untreated. Dr. Vuagniaux states, “Upper Cervical doctors have seen a link between injuries to the upper neck and high blood pressure for decades, but only recently has the medical profession begun to study how Upper Cervical care helps those suffering with high blood pressure.”
When a gentle and non-invasive Upper Cervical correction is made and the Atlas is properly repositioned, brain to body communication is restored and the body begins to heal itself. “This procedure has the effect of not one, but two blood-pressure medications given in combination,” study leader George Bakris, MD, tells WebMD. “And it seems to be adverse-event free. We saw no side effects and no problems,” adds Bakris. “We were shocked to find out that we got more than double what we expected in blood pressure reduction.”
In the interview with WebMD, Dr. Bakris said, “It is pretty clear that some kind of head or neck trauma early in life is related to this.” Upper Cervical misalignments can be caused by falls, auto accidents, sports, on-the-job injuries, concussions, physical or emotional stress, poor posture, and even birth trauma.
