Alternative Healing: Acupuncture for Hypertension
A new study published in the journal, Circulation, reports that scientists from the University of Nanjing, China, the Erlangen University Clinic, Germany and the Ottobeuren Clinic demonstrated a significant decrease in hypertension through the use of traditional Chinese medicine's healing form of acupuncture.
Robert W. Griffith, M.D. summarized the study for
Health and Age and explained, "acupuncture given by experienced Chinese clinicians to patients with hypertension produces significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure."
The trial used seven physicians from the University of Nanjing with at least five years of traditional Chinese medical training, and 140 patients, 72 of whom received active acupuncture treatments and 68 who received "sham" treatments.
Griffith explained, "[t]he most pronounced difference was seen for the day-time systolic blood pressure, which was reduced in the active group by 7.3 mm Hg. In the sham treatment group all blood pressure measurements had increased by about 2 mm Hg."
The authors of the research trial proposed that "acupuncture may offer an alternative therapeutic option for hypertension," particularly for patients who are wary of the bothersome side effects of traditional drug therapy.